Sakura's Secret
by roraewrites
Summary: "There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable." [ Student x Teacher AU; SasuSaku ]
1. one

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _ **BEFORE YOU START TO READ THIS STORY** : if you are not into these types of fics, then please do not read. I don't need people bagging this because they hate the idea. Take your negativity somewhere else._

 _This story started on my tumblr account and updates have been happening daily. I'm adding it to this account for anyone who's curious or looking for a new **Student x Teacher** fic! Anyways, I'll be posting every now and then on here when I get the chance, but if you're interested and want to keep up with the story, follow me at **roraewrites** on tumblr._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

"It's the first day of senior year and you're already going all out, Forehead."

Ino's obnoxious groans disturbed Sakura as she finished packing her bag and slipped her shoes on her feet. With her uniform in a neat and tidy manner, Sakura pushed by Ino and gave her a friendly glare.

"Yes, Pig, I am." Sakura sighed out.

Within minutes, the two of them began their walk towards the school. It was still early, and enough shade was provided while the sun still fought to make it's way over the mountains. From behind them, Sakura could hear the screams and yells of a boy, and when her head turned, she made out the familiar head of spiked blonde hair and azure eyes.

"Thanks for waiting," Naruto huffed out the second he caught up to both her and Ino. His cheeks were red, the familiar lines that resided there moved with each inhale and exhale he took. Sakura merely gave him a sheepish grin before continuing on with Ino.

"Of course, Naruto."

Their school wasn't located much farther than half a mile, and by the time they arrived, multiple cars filled the parking lot and numerous students filed in through the front doors. It was unusual how many students had enrolled that year, and even some of the teachers had unfamiliar faces, but Sakura pressed on.

"Who's your homeroom?" Ino's question pulled Sakura from her thoughts as they stood in the common area.

"Let's see here-" Sakura hummed before letting her bag slide down her shoulder. She pulled her class schedule from her bag and scanned for the letters that she searched for every year. "Uchiha-sensei?"

The name was unfamiliar, like most faces she had seen that morning, but when she looked back up from her slip of paper, Ino's mouth was gaping wide.

"Uchiha-sensei?! Seriously? I have Asume-sensei," her mouth no longer hung open and her eyes now narrowed at her friend. Naruto stood silently next to Ino before piping up with his own homeroom sensei.

"I've got Uchiha-sensei, too." His eyes found Sakura, and his face now held an ear to ear grin. "Good thing we're in the same class, huh, Sakura?"

Sakura rolled her eyes before sliding her paper back in her bag and hoisting it up over her shoulder once more. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get going, Naruto. Catch you around, Pig."

Ino stood by her lonesome now as Sakura and Naruto walked away. It was when Sakura turned back to give her friend one last smile, that she found Ino glaring her way. As pretty as Ino was with her long, platinum blonde hair and baby blue eyes, she could certainly give a nasty look when needed.

"Say, what do you think Uchiha-sensei is like?" Naruto piped up, his hands folded behind his head as they walked side by side.

"I guess we'll find out."

"Hopefully he's not old and cranky. That'd make for the worst senior year, ever,"

Sakura scoffed at his remark as they walked through the door. "Room number 7. We're here." There were multiple kids within the room already seated at desks.

"Woah, look how big that kid is!" Naruto yelped, all while his finger pointed towards a rather large kid with a head full of orange hair.

"Naruto, don't point." Sakura scolded. She felt relieved when the kid didn't glance their way, and as she snatched Naruto's hand from the air, she began to drag him into the room and towards a pair of desks that were empty.

Once seated, Sakura pulled out a simple black ink pen and shuffled in her seat until she sat comfortably. Her skirt, however, had lifted up her thigh and when she went to move it, a screech came from a slim girl, with an obnoxious shade of red hair. She hovered over Sakura's desk with fire in her eyes.

"Looks like you're already working on becoming the class slut," the girl scoffed before pushing her glasses up her nose.

Sakura's hand tightened around the fabric of her skirt, and when she pulled it down, the girl still smirked, her ruby eyes darkening. "If I were you, I'd keep that shit under control. Especially in Uchiha-sensei's class," her voice softened the moment she spoke of their homeroom teacher.

It rubbed Sakura the wrong way, and as she continued to fight back the blush, a deep voice cut through her embarrassment.

"Take a seat."

The tone was deep and alluring, and as Sakura glanced away from the red headed girl, her eyes laid upon a tall and masculine figure.

His hair was wild, but in an artistic and beautiful way; the color reminded her of burned charcoal and in the unnatural light of the room, she could make out bits of blue laced in with it. His skin was pale and looked rather smooth, and the longer Sakura stared at him, the faster her heart began to beat.

"Now," he instructed once more and at his final word, the girl walked rather quickly to her seat.

The man - her sensei she guessed - glanced at her, his eyes scanning down her face and coming to rest on the hand that held onto her skirt. Sakura instantly felt chills crawl through her body, and her fingers tremble slightly under his stare.

The blush that Sakura had fought so hard to hold back now made an entrance, and she sat in her seat with her hand still clenching onto her skirt. She gulped back her fears and nervous emotions the second his eyes landed on her; even his eyes were lovely, something within them mysterious yet inviting.

Black pearls, she told herself. Sakura was frozen in her terror, but the second he turned away from her, she felt herself exhale the breath she had been holding. Her chest heaved with such a force that she had thought the entire room heard her.

"You okay?" The familiar voice whispered to her instantly.

Sakura didn't turn to meet Naruto's question, instead, she kept her eyes on her homeroom teacher and drowned in the nervous pit that she had been thrown in.

"I'm not going to welcome you to your new homeroom, nor have everyone stand up and introduce themselves. Refer to me as Uchiha-sensei."

His words were quick, his tone low. His dark eyes scanned the room and when he finally took his seat, he pulled his roll call list from his desk and began to list off names. Some were familiar, some not, but when he reached Sakura's name - hers had been last - she felt her chest clench and her throat completely dry up.

"Haruno Sakura."

"Here," she croaked out miserably.

And when his eyes found her, she dropped her head in her arms and groaned.

 _What an awesome first day of senior year._


	2. two

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

"You're dismissed."

Sakura shoved her items in her bag before jumping up from her seat and booking it towards the door. She knew that she'd have both Naruto and the red headed girl jump on her the second they exited the classroom. Since her and Naruto had sat the farthest in in the room, it took longer to get around her classmates, but the second she felt her grasp on the exit, she also saw a pair of red eyes glaring at her.

Sakura inhaled sharply, knowing exactly what the redhead was going to say - her name was Karin, she reminded herself. Karin Uzumaki. Sakura made a mental note to ask Naruto if that was his cousin.

She could feel her steps starting to slow down the closer she got to the door and Karin, and instead of stopping, Sakura inhaled deeply and continued forward.

"Except for you, Sakura. Can I have a word?"

Her sensei's voice caught her off guard, and instead of vanishing through the door, Sakura stopped in her tracks. Her classmates and Naruto slid past her with a skeptical look in his blue eyes and motioned that he'd be waiting outside for her.

"Uh, yes, Uchiha-sensei."

He sat at his desk with papers in his hands. His dark eyes scanned over them until Sakura stood in front of his desk. She felt nervous, her fingers shaking as she held onto the strap that hung over her shoulder. Even her breath felt shaky as she exhaled slowly.

Time stood still the second he looked up at her, and instead of looking him straight in the eyes, her own eyes dropped to his oak desk.

She flinched at his question, but mellowed out at the soothing tone of his voice. "Has Karin always been like that towards you?"

"I've never seen her before," Sakura answered honestly.

Today was the first day she had ever seen or heard of the redheaded Uzumaki, and now that she had met her, she wished she hadn't.

"Hn," her teacher hummed out before setting the papers on his desk and leaning back in his chair.

Sakura found it unnerving that he relaxed so nonchalantly in front of her, but she also found it incredibly hard to look him in the eyes. There was something there that she couldn't quite interpret, but he was definitely a good looking guy.

Time ticked by on the clock, as it was the only sound occurring in the room. Neither Sakura or her teacher spoke, only stared at each other in silence. She gulped, her eyes dropping back to the stack of papers, and there, on top of the pile was her paper that she had filled out during their opening assignment. She frowned slightly before readjusting her weight to one leg.

"You can go. I'll see to it that Karin gets her attitude and temper under control," he spoke with a serious tone.

Sakura nodded before turning away and beginning her walk out of the classroom.

"One more thing, though. Do make sure that your skirt is at the appropriate length. It can be a little distracting to your classmates."

Sakura froze up at his comment, remembering the way he had looked at her earlier and when she nodded and spoke her acknowledgement, she felt her cheeks heat back up with the same blush from earlier.

"Yes, sir," she pushed out before rotating the door knob and exiting the room.

There stood Naruto, just like he had promised.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, his eyes filled with concern.

Sakura knew just how noticeable her blush was, and instead of filling him in on details, she reassured him that everything was fine and under control. As they started their walk down the hall, she could hear footsteps fast approaching her from behind. She could feel the knot in her stomach tighten while her chest clenched, and as she began to whirl around, she was caught off guard.

"Ino!" She shrieked as her friend jumped on her back.

"How was your first class?" The blonde asked as her arms came to fasten around Sakura's shoulders, her hands cupping loosely around the pinkette's neck.

Sakura adjusted her friend's weight and continued to walk. "Shitty."

"What? Why? I saw your sensei, though. Damn lucky, Forehead."

Sakura sighed and from beside her, Naruto snickered lightly. She didn't want to tell Ino about Karin, nor the rude remark the redheaded made. It was mere gossip, and that was the last thing Sakura wanted to deal with her senior year. Especially from the get go.

"Sakura was gonna beat some bitch's ass," Naruto finally spoke from beside them. Like a rubber band, Sakura snapped on the inside.

It had taken every ounce of restraint that she had to keep her temper from bubbling over, and masking the anger that flared on from within her viridian eyes. Ino had jumped down and ran around to stop Sakura from walking.

"What?!"

"It's _nothing_ ," Sakura hissed, her eyes shooting to Naruto who smiled sheepishly.

"That's not nothing, Sakura."

It wasn't every day that Ino would use Sakura's actual name, but when she was serious and concerned about her friend, she'd use her actual name. Sakura readjusted her bag and bit down on her lip.

"My skirt slid up and Karin said some meaningless things. It's done and over with."

Was it truly done and over with though? The look in Karin's ruby eyes was enough to tell Sakura that their little feud wouldn't be over, for that was just the start of it. "Besides, Uchiha-sensei stepped in."

"And then Sakura had a little chat with him after class!" Naruto continued Sakura's story for her.

"What'd he say?" Ino's eyes narrowed slightly as she asked.

"Nothing really. He asked if I've ever had a problem with Karin, but like I had mentioned, I have never seen her before in my life."

"Well there are a lot of new transfer students, so she's probably one of them-"

Sakura cut Ino off as she remembered her mental note. "Is Karin your cousin?" Her head turned towards Naruto, whose facial expression dropped and his blonde eyebrows raised in question.

"No? I'm not sure, honestly."

Sakura nodded before looking back towards Ino. "Regardless, it's over with. Just some girl with a big mouth."

Ino nodded but remained with narrowed eyes. Her lips still pressed in a firm line, and when her arms came to cross over her chest, she turned on her heel and began walking. "Whatever you say, Forehead."

Her tone was different. Sakura looked to Naruto who shrugged and began walking after the blonde female. It was apparent to Sakura that the three of them had gym class together the second they walked through the large doors.

Sakura's stomach was in her throat the second she saw Karin's familiar locks of red hair, but she also felt somewhat better knowing that Ino was in this class with her. She simply smirked to herself as she continued to walk towards the center of the room where everyone else had gathered.

.

.

.

"I didn't think he'd push us this hard on our first day of school. Holy shit, my make up is going to run," Ino whined from beside Sakura.

Their instructor had told them all to just call him Gai and with that, they nodded with a monotone 'yes, sir.'

"He's wild," another huff from Ino and Sakura finally laughed.

The class consisted of roughly thirty students, and each of them had filled out the necessary paperwork for their gym clothes before school had even started; Gai presented their outfits with an extraordinary amount of enthusiasm. Everyone went and changed, and within another ten minutes, he had taken his class outside and started their first day of class with a run.

"Ten laps around the block. You'll be timed! Let's make it a good run and make sure to push yourselves!"

While the boys in the class had accepted the challenge, over half of the girls began to whine. Sakura grinned at their first day of gym class, but Ino begged her to run with her.

"One more to go!" Naruto cheered from the sidelines as they passed by the marker for the ninth time.

Sakura waved a small wave to him as they passed by while Ino groaned loudly.

"You're doing great, Yamanaka! Keep it up," Gai shouted from beside Naruto.

"At least you've got Bushy Brow-sensei cheering you on," Sakura teased lightly.

They ran their last lap with ease - Sakura did anyways - and as they came around the final corner, it was an immediate wave of nausea that overcame her body.

Uchiha-sensei, she huffed from within her mind. It was like all the energy in her body had been drained, and the closer they came to the finish line, the slower she willed herself to go.

He didn't look at her, nor notice her. Only walked across the street - looking both ways beforehand - and walked straight up to Gai. He didn't need to get his attention, because Gai was already looking at the younger male with an ear to ear grin.

Sakura and Ino were about to cross over the finish line when his orbs caught sight of her. Just like that, Sakura felt her legs go weak and her mind tingle with the presence of pins and needles. If it hadn't been for Naruto who caught her just as they crossed, she would've gone down.

Her homeroom teacher's eyes remained on her until he looked back to Gai and spoke in a low voice. The two men both nodded, and like that, the Uchiha turned and began his walk back into the school. Sakura hadn't noticed it earlier, but his off-black dress pants and soot black dress shirt looked absolutely stunning on him.

"All right! That concludes everyone's run. You all did great. Take a shower, and class will be done!"

.

.

.

The remainder of the day went fairly quick for Sakura. She attended the remainder of her classes, all of them with Naruto and then finally back to her homeroom for the last class of the day.

She wasn't sure how many classes her homeroom teacher had taught throughout the day, but she noticed just how messy his hair had gotten throughout the day. Even the top button of his dress shirt had been undone, and by god, she felt her heart rate increase instantly.

On the whiteboard in neat and legible handwriting was the word 'Literature.'

"You'll be assigned your textbooks now. Just hand the sheet of paper around, sign the book number and your name on the line and pass it on. Shouldn't be that hard," his voice drug out as his obsidian eyes scanned the room. Sakura caught on to the sarcasm in his voice, but she could also tell that he seemed slightly annoyed.

One by one, the students began to grab their books from the back of the class and one by one, they filed back into their desks. Sakura's book number turned out to be '143.'

"Uchiha-sensei," Karin's hand shot up while she coated her voice in the sweetest tone she could muster up. "What if the book doesn't have a number?"

"Then write a number in that's not taken. Like I said, it shouldn't be that hard," he retorted back.

Sakura smiled inwardly as she watched Karin's cheeks burn with a blush that matched the color of her hair. It amused her how their instructor was entirely straightforward and blunt, and she also enjoyed that about him, too. At least she was set up for a great senior year with a teacher who wouldn't cut them any slack.

"Read chapter one tonight, take notes and tomorrow we'll get started with the first lesson. If you don't understand anything, mark it and bring it in before class starts tomorrow and we'll go over it." Their sensei leaned forward in his chair and laced his fingers underneath his chin, making a bridge for his jaw to rest on. "Don't ruin your book or you'll be buying a new one."

Throughout the remainder of the hour, everyone sat in their seats and read quietly. The occasional scribble of a pencil, or rubbing of an eraser could be heard, but Sakura toned it all out. Her eyes read over the words carefully, but she felt chills run down her spine almost instantly.

Her green eyes peered up from the textbook and as she flipped the page, she found those familiar soot black eyes watching her. His jawline was chiseled, while his face remained expressionless. There was definitely something about her teacher that she couldn't place her finger on, but when her eyes dropped, she began to move her pencil around over her sheet of paper.

Sakura didn't write notes nor read from her textbook anymore. She began to draw her sensei's face from memory and shade in the parts that stuck in her head the most. If there was one thing that she found interesting about him, it was the particular shade of his eyes. Incredibly dark irises surrounding a black pupil. Now that she thought about it, Sakura hadn't even seen his pupils when she stood in front of his desk earlier that morning.

The ringing bell startled her, and before anyone could see what she was doodling, she slipped her piece of paper into her book and slapped it shut.

"I'll see you all tomorrow. Don't forget to have your parents sign the syllabus for both classes," he reminded as they all filed out the door, each nodding their acknowledgment.

As Sakura pressed by, she offered a small smile - hoping to catch a glimpse of some type of emotion from her sensei, but to no avail.

"Bye, Uchiha-sensei," she waved with a small voice.

And although Sakura thought he was incapable of saying anything nice, she hardly heard his words. "Have a good night, Sakura."

.

.

.

Sakura had immediately pulled out her drawing of her instructor and began to fill in the lines that needed to be darker, while she thinned out some of the lines around his hair. She knew she should've been reading the chapter and taking notes like he had assigned, but she also wanted to finish her drawing of her mysterious sensei.

The slammed door startled Sakura and the second she heard her mother's voice, she slipped the paper underneath her book and pulled out a new sheet.

"How was the first day of school, darling?" Mebuki asked the second she got home.

"Fine," Sakura responded in a shallow tone. "Most of my classes are with Naruto. I have one with Ino. My homeroom sensei is strict, I like that."

"Who's your homeroom instructor?"

"Uchiha-sensei."

Mebuki's eyebrow raised with question. "He must be new."

"He is. He's fairly young, too." That last sentence nearly got caught in her throat. Exactly how old did Sakura think he was? She balled her hands into fists out of frustration all while Mebuki smiled slyly.

"Is he cute?" She asked sarcastically.

"Mom!" Sakura shrieked. She immediately grabbed her bag from the back of the chair and shut her book and scooped it up in her other hand. "Jeez, I'm trying to study!"

Mebuki simply giggled as Sakura walked off. It didn't occur to the pinkette that she had slipped her drawing of her sensei under her book until she reached the bottom of the stairs. She immediately dropped her items and began running back to their dining room only to see that Mebuki had the drawing in her hands.

"He is pretty cute," she commented.

Sakura snatched the drawing from her mother before stomping off once more.

 _"I'll be in my room!"_


	3. three

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

Over the course of the week, Sakura continued to go to school with Ino in the mornings, constantly get glared at by Karin, workout during their gym hour with Gai and then back to Uchiha-sensei's class at the end of the day.

Sakura had come to learn that Sasuke was definitely a morning person rather than a late in the day kind of guy. Every day that week, she had noticed how different his appearance became in her last hour and as much as she wanted to ask if he was okay, there was still something there that intimidated her.

"Now that our lecture is done for chapter one and you've all taken decent notes-" his eyes glanced to Naruto, "we'll be taking a test come Monday morning. If you took good notes, you'll do fine. If not, then you best be asking your classmates for help."

"Uchiha-sensei!" Karin's hand shot up. "What will be on the test?"

The sudden glaze over in his dark eyes made Sakura scoff, and as she continued to watch him, it was just an expressionless glare almost. He swallowed before exhaling and crossing his arms. He made his way around to the front of his desk and leaned against it, his eyes still on Karin.

"If you took good notes, you'll do fine," he repeated himself.

Most of the kids in their class snickered and chuckled to themselves, all while Karin frowned slightly and pulled her hand out of the air. Sakura felt somewhat bad for the girl, but then again, their teacher hated to repeat himself.

"Any more questions?" His eyes scanned the room and stopped on Sakura for a second longer than they should have. "No? Good. Dismissed."

"But the bell hasn't rang-"

"Then you can all stay after hours."

Every single one of his students pushed up from their seats and began to move quickly out of the room. Sakura took a minute longer to pack up her bag and when she stood from her seat, she began to walk towards the front of the class, towards his desk.

"Is everything okay, Uchiha-sensei?" Sakura asked in a soft tone.

He had his back to her while he erased the white board. His head turned slightly before looking back and inhaling.

"Everything is fine, Ms. Haruno. It's Friday, don't you have plans?"

"Well, no. Not exactly." Sakura frowned.

"Hn. You'd think a senior would have plans with their friends."

Sakura brought her bag up to rest on his desk, her eyes watching his muscles move as he kept erasing.

"I have studying to do. Plus my father should be home tonight, so we all might go out for dinner," she finally smiled. When he turned around, she felt her smile falter and her legs grow weak.

If she hadn't been looking, she would've missed his faint smirk. Although it wasn't a smile, it was more emotion that she had seen on his face that entire week. "Sounds fun," he spoke dryly.

Silence filled the room as he took a seat at his desk, his eyes on her bag. He blinked thick lashes and when he looked back up to her, Sakura began to shuffle uncomfortably.

"Do you have any plans for the weekend?" Why was she asking her _sensei_ if he had plans that weekend?

 _He's probably married_ , Sakura told herself. The second after the thought occured, her eyes immediately flashed to his left hand, searching for a ring. _No ring. He could've forgotten it though._

"I'll be going out of town," he finally spoke after another moment of silence.

"Ooh, where to?"

"Shouldn't you be going home?" He changed the subject quickly.

Sakura pulled her bag from his desk and bit down on her lower lip. Ino and Naruto were probably waiting for her outside and here she was, acting casual and friendly with her sensei. Before she could answer, he had his chin resting over his fingers again and that damn gorgeous smirk was back.

"Uh, yeah," Sakura laughed out. "I'll see you Monday morning. Have a great weekend, Uchiha-sensei."

He didn't return her kind words, nor remove his eyes from her own. He remained still with that smirk painted over his lips all while Sakura turned on her heel and made her way out the door. The farther she walked, the more her legs began to ache. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt and she tried as hard as she could to keep her posture perfect and straight.

The second she walked through the doorway, Sakura inhaled deeply and took off down the hall. The ringing bell sounded from every classroom as she made her way towards the common area, and the second she reached the exit, she began to smile to herself.

"What's the look for, Forehead?" Ino caught her the second she blasted through the doors.

Sakura felt silly for smiling but she had finally seen her sensei somewhat smile and show something other than a glare or blank facial expression. "It's Friday!" Sakura lied through her teeth before she started to pull Ino along behind her.

"Yeah, but you never do anything on the weekend." Ino pointed out matter of factly.

Sakura frowned before looking back at her best friend and groaning. "Maybe this weekend will be different. Besides, my dad should be coming home tonight."

"It's been a couple of months, I'm surprised he's finally coming home," Ino smiled brightly as she started to walk side by side with Sakura.

"Where's your dad been?" Naruto asked as he trailed behind the two girls.

"Work," Sakura spoke softly. He had left almost three months ago, and now he was finally coming home for a week. It was better than nothing, she reminded herself.

"So, Sakura. You say maybe this weekend will be different?" Ino barged her way into their conversation and gave Sakura a mischievous smile.

"Well.. I-uh."

"Shikamaru is having a party this weekend. Come with me," Ino winked. "You know how awesome his parties are, right?"

Sakura squirmed under Ino's blue eyes and looked away. The sky certainly held a lot of clouds, yet the sun's warmth melted right through them. She hated being put on the spot, especially when it came to parties. She wasn't much of a drinker or a partier - it just wasn't her scene.

"You know the answer to that, Pig," Sakura hissed.

"Then come with me and find out how fun they are! Naruto is going!"

Sakura didn't miss the glare that Ino shot towards Naruto, nor the words that she spoke silently to him.

"Uh, yeah. I'm going, Sakura!" Naruto smiled, but Sakura could see right through it.

There was something bubbling in the pit of Sakura's stomach, and instead of declining her friends' invites like many times before, she finally looked to the both of them and smiled deeply.

"Fine, I'll go."

"Perfect, I'll call you Saturday night," Ino winked before turning down her street. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

.

.

.

"When will dad be home?" Sakura asked as she scrolled through the messages on her phone. Ino had texted her a minute ago.

 _Still on for tomorrow night or have you chickened out? ;)_

"Any minute now," Mebuki responded from behind the kitchen counter. Sakura only sighed before lying back on the couch and frowning at Ino's text.

 _I'm still going, Pig!_

"Hey, mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Could I go to a party with Ino and Naruto tomorrow night? I won't drink and Ino's dad said he could pick us up," Sakura felt her hesitation as she spoke but her subconscious willed her to ask.

 _You've still got 24 hours to change your mind, so I guess we'll see, Forehead._

Sakura rolled her eyes at her phone and laughed at Ino.

"Sure. Call me if you need anything, though," Mebuki responded with a soft voice. Sakura sat up and peered over the couch. Mebuki stood behind the counter still with a smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled and as much as Sakura wanted to jump and hug her, she could see a certain sadness dwelling in them as well.

"You're seriously okay with me going?" Sakura tested the waters.

"Of course. I want you to remember your senior year. Go out and have some fun with your friends. You're such a home body, you deserve some time away once in awhile."

Sakura was grinning now and her nerves faded instantly. She had thought about lying to her mother, but in the end, she opted against it. Her eyes eventually glanced towards the clock and her grin vanished instantly. It was now nine o'clock and her father still wasn't home.

"We could always order pizza?" Her mother finally came over to the couch and took a seat beside her daughter.

Sakura watched her mother's eyes turn into glass orbs and she felt her own heart plummet immediately. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'll call and order."

.

.

.

For the next hour and a half, Sakura sat on the couch curled up with her mother. They had a regular cheese pizza with ranch on the side, and a small order of regular breadsticks. They watched a simple chick flick and by the time it had ended, Mebuki was ready for bed.

"I'll see you in the morning, dear."

She sounded tired, her eyes puffy while bags of purple began to grow more noticeable underneath them.

"I love you, mom," Sakura spoke softly and Mebuki smiled.

"I love you, too."

Sakura remained on the couch with her phone in her hand. The television was still scrolling through the ending credits and the smell of garlic filled their front from. What a boring night.

She immediately picked the box of pizza up and placed it in the fridge, came back and turned the television off and placed the movie back in its respectful box. Her feet then carried her up the stairs and away from the dark room.

In her room, she fell to her bed and inhaled the familiar scent of her lavender shampoo from the pillow case. Her eyes began to close as she thought about how tomorrow night would turn out - her first real party she'd ever be attending.

When she opened her eyes and rolled over to her back, she snatched her notebook, pen and headphones from her nightstand and plugged the headphones into her phone. She turned on some background noise and flipped to one of the pages towards the back of her notebook. There, she found her doodle of her sensei and began to shade some more features of his face.

Sakura found it weird how drawn she was to the man, but she couldn't help but remember his facial features. He had a strong jawline, high cheeks bones, the perfect eyes, his hair was even perfect in some imperfect way. Sakura began to stop her shading and looked at the picture. There was still something off about it, and the harder she looked, the more she noticed was wrong with it.

His eyes didn't look as sad, nor did he have his lips pressed in a firm line. Instead, his eyebrows were raised slightly and his eyes shimmered with passion while he wore that gorgeous smirk of his. Sakura made him look happy, and the more she looked at it, the more she felt a soft spot for her sensei.

She laid the notebook down next to her on her bed and placed the pen on top. She could feel the ink on her fingers and before she closed her eyes, she glanced at her drawing once more. Where did you go to this weekend, sensei? She wondered, but then again, she had changed her plans for this weekend, so it's possible that his might've changed too.

.

.

.

"C'mon, Forehead! We ain't got all night!" Ino yelled from outside Sakura's window. It was Saturday night and Sakura had never been more nervous for anything in her life.

She stood in front of her mirror and continued to examine herself. She wore a simple navy blue romper that had yellow daisy designs all over. Over that, she had a jean jacket vest - mostly for style rather than warmth, since it was still humid and hot during the night - and to finish her look, she had sandals and a couple bracelets around her wrists. Sakura braided her hair back on each side of her head, the braids going back over her ears and meeting just above her occipital bone. From there, the rest of her short hair had been curled and left down.

"Forehead!" Another shrill scream came from outside and Sakura finally booked it downstairs.

She grabbed her keys from the counter and her wallet, stepped out the door, locked it and skipped down the steps. Ino was leaning out the passenger window of Naruto's car and she immediately let out a whistle.

"You look hot, Forehead. You clean up nice," Ino winked as Sakura slid into the back seat. Even Naruto's eyes were wide with fascination before he gave her a thumbs up.

"Now then, off to party central!"

.

.

.

Sakura could hardly hear her own thoughts from over the bumping bass. She told Ino and Naruto the second she got in the car that she wouldn't drink tonight, but after an hour of being at Shikamaru's, Sakura had a cup in her hand and alcohol flowing through her system.

Kids from their school, kids from other schools, even a couple of college students had shown up. Sakura was amazed by how many different faces she had encountered that night, and all the friends she had made only within a small amount of time.

"Well how about it?! Aren't you having fun?" Ino shouted from beside her. Ino always looked dazzling, but tonight, she had her hair in loose curls and gray mini skirt, with a coral flowing shirt that accented her hips.

"Yes!" Sakura shouted back with amazement in her voice. She had been having an incredible amount of fun that night.

Until a familiar face that wore glasses appeared in front of her. The red hair caused her stomach to somersault while her throat clenched.

"Figure seeing the class slut here," Karin began.

"The fuck you want?" Ino already lunged from her spot and glared at the girl with vicious eyes.

Sakura felt just as angry as Ino looked, and within seconds, she was standing beside Ino with her green eyes narrowed.

"Don't even start, Karin. I've heard things about you. About what you did at your previous school, and the one before that," Sakura retorted. It wasn't like her to provoke another person, but with liquid courage soaring through her veins, she felt unstoppable.

Karin stuttered slightly before her eyes grew wide and her lips parted. The girl that stood next to her looked from Ino to Sakura, and finally to Karin. "Why are you bothering with these girls?"

"Well, actually, this one-" she pointed straight to Sakura, "- has a thing for showing off her legs in class. Even her ass was sticking out."

Sakura backed up slightly before feeling a real wave of anger wash over her. Before Ino could say another word to the redhead, Sakura's hand was already lunging forward and along with it, the liquid from her drink. Within seconds, Karin was soaked in hard liquor that smelled of cinnamon and the look of shock that suddenly crossed her face fueled Sakura's intentions.

"You bitch!"

Sakura grinned while Ino burst out into laughter. They both stood in front of Karin while she shook off the alcohol from her skin and clothes. She didn't say another word, nor throw a punch towards Sakura, no; kids from the back of the house began to run through house, and the one word that Sakura had been warned of while at a party was being shouted from many different directions.

 _Cops._

She immediately began to panic, but Ino had her hand and immediately began to pull her along. "C'mon, Forehead! We gotta go!"

It seemed like time stood still around them as they began to push through the crowd. Sakura hadn't noticed it before, but it was a massive free for all. If it hadn't been for Ino, Sakura would've been standing in the same spot, waiting for her punishment to arrive. But with Ino towing her along, they were outside of the house in seconds and booking it towards the woods.

Just like every other kid that had gone, some ran towards the woods, others ran through Shikamaru's neighbors' yards. She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest and although she felt panicked and frightened, the adrenalin excited her.

The two girls ran through the woods, and the second they began to turn right, Sakura was running face first into Naruto's chest.

"Sakura! I'm so sorry! I saw you guys running and I followed you. Oh my god, I'm sososo sorry, Sakura. Please don't kill me," he grabbed her by her shoulders as she held her nose.

She couldn't feel any pain, but she could feel some sort of liquid begin to move around within her sinuses. "Is it bleeding?" She asked through clenched teeth and closed eyes.

Naruto's phone lit up her face and the sharp inhale from both him and Ino verified that she did, in fact, have a bloody nose.

 _"I'm so sorry._ "

"That's enough! We're not out of this yet." Ino demanded. "Here, Sakura. Stick this up your nose."

In Ino's had was a tampon that she had pulled from her wallet and Sakura nodded before applying it up her right nostril. It felt weird at first, but she would do anything to reassure that no blood stained her nice, girly clothes.

After their incident, the three of them continued through the woods, only to pop out into a more familiar neighborhood. The effects of the alcohol slowly began to wear off and by the time they came to step into light offered by a streetlight, Sakura felt like she had been blasted by bull.

"I'm gonna go get my car. I'll see you guys later," Naruto offered. "I'm so sorry, Sakura." His tone was sincere, as were his azure eyes. Sakura only responded with a smile and a slight wave of her hand.

"It's okay, really!"

When he began to walk the opposite way as them, Sakura and Ino started their walk home as well. Sakura could feel the tampon in her nose start to expand, and her nostril began to sting from the stretching of the cotton.

"What time is it?" She asked, mainly to distract her mind from the pain.

"Twelve thirty six," Ino responded with a tired voice. She had removed her heels the second they reached the woods, and now that she walked barefoot down the concrete walkway, she had slowed down. "We're still a few miles from my house," she grunted out.

Sakura felt her world come crashing down. Of course the one party she attended, and cops had busted it.

"Maybe we can flag a car down and get a ride home," Ino finally offered.

"Absolutely not," Sakura breathed out. The last thing she wanted was to get in a car with some stranger - especially with the way the two of them were dressed up.

"Quit being such a worry wart, it's totally fine." Ino responded, and as if it had been planned, a set of headlights started to come up over the hill.

With her heels thrown to the side, Ino started to jump up and down and wave her arms at the car. The vehicle didn't stop though, it continued to roll on by.

"Asshole," Ino shouted, to which Sakura slapped a hand over her friend's mouth.

"People are _sleeping_!"

"Well I want to be sleeping, but no one will pick us up!" She began to whine.

With Sakura's arm around Ino, she heard the car that had passed by earlier come to a stop and the blinding white reverse lights illuminate their surroundings. Sakura pulled the tampon from her nose and felt around, content when she felt that the blood had dried up

"Yes!" Ino squealed victoriously.

"No…" Sakura felt her stomach flip flop; either it was nerves or the shaken up alcohol, she felt sick to her stomach.

Ino grabbed her heels in one hand and Sakura's arm in the other and pulled her along. The window to the passenger side rolled down as they ran up to the side of the car, and just like that, Sakura felt the need to vomit.

"Uh, hi, Uchiha-sensei," Ino muttered. Sakura knew that tone coming from her best friend. It was a mixture of embarrassment and disappointment.

Sakura swallowed hard when he didn't say anything. He only looked at the two of them from the driver's side of his car, and when she saw his fingers move, the sound of automatic locks filled her ears. "Get in."

Ino opted for the backseat, and while Sakura wanted to sit in the back with her friend, she noticed the duffle bag sitting on his seat and a dress shirt hanging from the hook in the back. She slid into the front seat and kept her eyes forward.

 _This is awkward. This is awkward. This is-_

"Where do you live, Ino?" His voice broke through the silence and Ino's sudden gasp of air caused Sakura to turn around and look at her friend.

"Back a few miles and turn on Grove Avenue. House number ten," she spoke quietly.

Sakura's breathing remained quiet, but the second her teacher flipped a U-turn in the middle of the street and began to accelerate down the road, she felt like she could hear her own breathing. Hell, she could hear the blood rushing to her ears.

It took him about ten minutes to arrive at Ino's house, and when he unlocked the doors, Ino thanked him.

"Thank you, Uchiha-sensei. Sorry to have ruined your night. Come on, Sakura-"

"She should probably go home tonight."

She gulped down her pride and looked at Ino, who was now standing outside of the car with a defeated facial expression. Much like Sakura, she bit her lower lip and nodded slowly. "Yes, sir."

With that, they waited for Ino to open the door to her house and step inside. Sakura felt his stare from the opposite side of the car, but she refused to look over at him.

"You could've got yourself in a lot of trouble," he began to scold her.

Sakura felt his car shift into first gear and move forward. Her fingers grabbed onto the seat belt that fit snug against her chest, and as he shifted the car into second, she felt them accelerate.

"Trouble. As in you wouldn't have got any of the scholarships you applied for already."

"You're not my dad," she retorted finally. Sakura was now facing him, her eyes glaring into the side of his head as she mustered up the nastiest look she could give. He didn't entertain her, only shifted his vehicle into third, and it was then, that he turned his head to meet her angry eyes.

"I'm aware. But I'm also looking out for your wellbeing."

"Why? You've only known me for a week."

"As your teacher, it's also my job to learn the background of each of my students. You expect me to walk into a job blindly, not knowing anything about any of you? There's multiple of you guys and only one of me," his tone dropped an octave and Sakura felt nervous all over again. Any vicious intentions that she had were now gone and she wanted nothing more than to be at home. His sharp inhale was cut short as he shifted his car into fourth gear.

"Don't throw your future away," he spoke in a softer tone now.

"Yes, Uchiha-sensei-"

"Call me Sasuke. When we're not at school," he added quickly. "When you see me outside of school," he corrected himself.

When Sakura looked back over to him, she saw that certain softness in his eyes that she had seen before.

 _Sasuke_ , she tried the word in her head and smiled gently at the way it sounded. _Sasuke_.

"Where are you taking me?" Sakura asked after a few moments of silence. The humming of his engine and streetlights that passed by were the only things she had noticed in her buzzed state of mind, but now that she actually thought about it, it worried her.

"You never told me where you live."

"Oh! Right. Uh-" Sakura squinted her eyes as she began to read the street signs. "Take a right here, and then a left at the next street. My house will be on our left. It's got an attached garage and it's dark green," Sakura spoke, remembering the many ways to get to her house from all the different streets.

Sasuke did as instructed, and within minutes, he pulled up to her house. While she needed to get out and walk in front of his car, she hesitated.

"Thank you for giving me a ride."

"Hn," he responded quietly.

Sakura blinked once more before unbuckling her seatbelt pushing her door open. "I'll see you Monday… Sasuke."

His head snapped towards her, and it was there that she saw his shimmering obsidian eyes. Much like the way she had drawn them; even the smirk she had seen yesterday appeared within seconds.

"Good night."


	4. four

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _I'd love it if some reviews were left! Just anything to let me know how you like it so far, or if you have any questions!_

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

* * *

Come Monday morning, Sakura felt absolutely restless. She didn't want to attend school, she didn't want to go to any classes, she didn't want to see Karin or even Sasuke.

She just wanted to be left alone in her room.

"Mom, I think I'm coming down with something," she lied as she walked down the hall slowly.

Mebuki eyed her with a raised eyebrow and the second Sakura was at arm's length, she put the back of her hand to her forehead.

"You feel fine, dear. Besides, you don't want to ruin your perfect attendance, right?"

Sakura frowned before groaning and heading back towards her room. She loved that her mom respected her enough to not push a subject further than it needed to go. Especially when Sakura came down stairs Sunday morning with tired eyes and smeared make up. Mebuki didn't question, only acknowledged her daugher and carried on with cooking breakfast.

Instead of arguing with her mother, she walked back to her room, picked out her uniform for the day and continued with her morning routine. Since she had a late start that morning, she ended up walking alone to school.

It wasn't sunny that morning, nor warm. It was cloudy with small gusts of wind blowing in from the west and the closer Sakura got to her school, the more she dreaded her actions that past weekend.

She felt her phone buzz from within her bag, and as she pulled it out to look, she was greeted by a pissed redhead by the name of Karin Uzumaki.

"So. Throwing drinks on people, huh?"

Sakura only frowned as she placed her phone back inside her bag. She inhaled deeply before letting it all out.

It was bound to happen sooner or later, she reminded herself.

"I don't appreciate your rude remarks or your attitude towards me. I've never met you, so why start out with being rude?" Sakura found that Karin's hands had come to rest on her hips while her ruby eyes narrowed into Sakura's emerald orbs.

"Maybe you shouldn't be showing skin off in class. It's unlady-like."

"And calling someone the class slut for something that happened on accident is lady-like?" Sakura shot right back. She found her blood rushing through her body now.

Karin laughed before taking a step towards Sakura. "You're damn lucky those cops busted that party or you'd be-"

"Is there a problem here?"

Such a familiar voice both scared and relieved Sakura. When she glanced to her right, she felt her heart rate relax slightly and her eyes soften. There he was, dressed in slacks and a dress shirt, with his hair tossed around in an organized manner while his eyes glanced from Karin to her.

"Of course not, Uchiha-sensei!" Karin answered sweetly. She had stopped in her place, her hands behind her back while she smiled a large smile.

"Then get to class," Sasuke ordered. Karin turned immediately, not even a glance back as she headed straight for the doors to the school. Sakura stood in the same spot for a moment longer and waited for her body to relax.

When she felt calm enough, she began to take steps towards the doors as well. Until a question that shouldn't have been asked, was asked.

"You threw a drink on her?"

Sakura grinned on the inside, remembering just how pissed off and shocked Karin had been. Then again, she felt bad for her actions.

Sakura only glanced back to Sasuke and she was surprised at what she saw. That same damn smirk, while he shook his head side to side. "Get to class, I'll be there in a bit."

.

.

.

Sakura's entire day had gone by smoothly. Karin didn't shoot her any rude glares or have any more confrontations. Ino didn't try to pry any information from Sakura regarding her ride home with her sensei. Naruto apologized once more, but Sakura insisted that it was still not a problem. Hell, even her test in Sasuke's class had been a breeze.

She walked home with her friends, ate dinner with her mom - they both had acknowledged the fact that her father wouldn't be returning home for another few weeks, and then she went straight to bed.

Unlike her weekend, today had been absolutely _uneventful_.

.

.

.

"Sakura! Are you coming to my party this weekend?!" Naruto shouted the second she walked out of her house.

It was now Fall, October in full swing and along with it, cool temperatures. She would need to somehow bribe Naruto to start giving the three of them a ride to school in the mornings, only until spring and then they could walk once more.

"Uh, I'm not sure-"

"It's his birthday on Saturday," Ino added in quickly.

Sakura bit her lip before apologizing quickly. "I'm sorry, Naruto. I really am. I'll try to make it! Where at?"

"Not sure yet. Still trying to decide since Shikamaru's place is being watched a lot more now," Naruto grunted out.

Sakura laughed, remembering their first week of school and how nervous and excited she had been to attend her first high school party. Now that they had been attending classes for a month, she felt like her life was now on a set schedule.

"Well let me know and we can all go," Sakura grinned.

Their walk to school was short lived, considering the fact that they had all been walking quickly to escape October's cool grasp. Inside the common area, they felt their bodies warm up and even some of the sensei's had taken up putting out a table that offered hot chocolate.

Sakura grabbed a cup before making her way to class with Naruto. She made sure to drink it before entering the room, because she knew how grumpy Sasuke normally got when his students had a beverage other than water in his class.

"Today we'll be going over chapter four. This will be the final chapter of the section and then we will be taking a test over everything that's been included. Take notes on everything if you haven't taken notes already. We'll lecture tomorrow and test on Wednesday. Any questions?"

No one spoke up, and instead of sitting back in his seat, the Uchiha's eyes began to scan the room. They landed right on Sakura and she felt an uncomfortable lump in her throat.

"Sakura; would you mind filling me in on what we'll be going over this chapter?"

Her eyes dropped to the open page in her book, and when she frowned, she slowly looked back up. "Romeo and Juliet?" That sounded wrong, considering they had gone over the tragic love story previous years before.

"Correct. I know you all have read this story before, actually. So this chapter should be a piece of cake. I'll be expecting perfect scores from everyone."

A few groans sounded from different parts of the room and Sakura couldn't help but giggle at Naruto's familiar grunt.

"You'll have the rest of class to read over that. Later in the day, you can start early with taking notes so you won't have too much to do tonight."

.

.

.

"Could you run to the store for me, dear?" Mebuki asked from between dishes. "I forgot to grab some vegetables for dinner."

Sakura looked up from her textbook and notes and nodded. She grabbed cash from her mother and began her walk towards the store. While she hadn't considered that it would be getting darker sooner in the day and weather dropped substantially during the night, she broke out in a sprint.

"It's not that far," she huffed in between strides. Her eyes watched carefully for patches of ice along the way, and as she came to a halt at the crosswalk, she looked both ways.

A black car had stopped and the second she noticed it, she instantly smiled. Instead of crossing the street fully, she ran around to the driver's side and watched the window roll down slowly.

"Hi, Sasuke," she shivered out. The warmth that flowed from the inside of his car was inviting, but the look in his eyes weren't.

"What're you doing out so late?"

"Going to the store for my mom."

"Don't you have a car?" His tone changed drastically.

"Well, no. I don't," Sakura frowned at him. When another car pulled up behind Sasuke's, his arm came out from inside of the window and motioned for them to go around.

"Get in."

Just like that, it was déjà vu all over again. Instead of fighting with him, she strolled around to the other side of the car again and hopped in. He watched her as she buckled her seatbelt and almost immediately, flashed him a smile.

The warmth coming from the vents thawed her cool skin and the second he started to press the gas and release the clutch, they were off.

"Local store, I'm guessing?" He inquired.

"Yep," Sakura answered cheerfully. She found it funny how tensed and awkward she had been the first time she rode in his car with him. Now here she was, completely sober and hitching a ride to the grocery store.

The music on the radio was low and as much as Sakura wanted to reach for the knob and turn it up, she didn't. "What're you listening to?"

"Not sure. Just background noise."

Sakura smirked to herself as she tuned into the beat of the song and to her surprise, it was slow and soft; beautiful, actually.

"So what're you doing out tonight, Sasuke?"

"Heading home. I stayed at the school late," he replied before glancing at her.

She felt stupid for not noticing a couple of buttons undone on his shirt and ruffled hair. Now that she really looked at him, he looked entirely young - she wouldn't have thought he was a high school teacher if she saw him out on the streets.

"Why so late?"

"Planning tomorrows curriculum for classes."

"How'd that go?"

"You ask a lot of questions, don't you?" He asked suddenly.

Sakura bit down on her lower lip, but when she glanced over at him, he was smirking again. They were now pulling into the parking lot and once Sasuke put the car into neutral and pulled the parking brake up, he sat back in his seat.

"Thanks for the ride! I'll see you tomorrow morning-"

"Don't. I'll give you a ride home. It's cold and dark out, plus you'll be carrying bags."

Sakura's lips parted before her eyes widened. "I don't want to keep you waiting…"

"Hn," he exhaled. "It's fine."

Sakura nodded before unbuckling the seat belt and stepping out of his car. She made her way through the store, grabbing the items her mother asked her to grab and quickly made her way to the check stand. The cashier rang her up and handed her the bags and the moment she stepped outside, Sasuke was now pulled up to the front doors of the store.

He was quick to get out of his car and take the items from her and place them in the backseat and flash a smirk her way.

"Well, let's go."

.

.

.

Sasuke pulled up in front of her house and unlocked the doors. Sakura didn't want to get out just yet, she was enjoying the comfortable feeling she had acquired when being around him. When she wasn't at school and it was just the two of them, there was just something about Sasuke that eased her mind.

"Do you like teaching?" She asked.

Sasuke pursed his lips. "So far. This is my first year teaching and it's what I went to university for."

Sakura smiled softly now as she glanced over to her house. The kitchen light was still on and it was only getting later in the night. If she didn't get inside the house soon, then her mother would have her head.

"Can I ask you something?" Sakura spoke gently. She felt nerves begin to swirl around in her stomach as she thought about whether or not she should ask.

"Hn."

She wasn't sure if that was either a yes or no, but instead of waiting to find out, she took the leap. "How old are you?"

Sasuke was now facing her, his eyes narrowed slightly with knitted eyebrows. He didn't look angry, but he also didn't look happy. He looked confused and flustered, more so. Sakura could also see the movements in his throat, noting that he had just swallowed hard.

"Take a guess."

"Wait - really? Okay." She thought about it for a moment or two, her eyes glancing back towards the door of her house. "Twenty five."

"No."

"Twenty six?"

"Wrong."

Sakura groaned before she pushed her face into her hand. He smirked softly, the corner of his lip barely rising as he looked forward once more. His hand reached for the knob and he pushed his door open and grabbed her groceries from the back. Sakura got out of his car rather quickly and met him behind the car.

The tail lights colored his face in hues of red and she'd never say it out loud, but if he had red eyes, he'd look even more enticing and mysterious. Maybe it was something she could draw later…

"Twenty two," he answered softly before handing the bags over.

Now that Sakura stood face to face with him, she saw him more as an individual rather than someone who would be teaching her her senior year. He was tall, almost an entire foot and a half taller than her.

"Thank you," she responded in an equally soft tone. He didn't respond, though. Instead, he smirked once more before getting back inside his car and leaving her to stand outside of her house.

When she walked across the lawn, it was entirely all her luck to have the sprinklers turn on and begin to douse her in chilly water.

"Shit!" Her screech was loud and shrill, but her movements became quick and swift and the moment she ran through the front door, she was greeted by her mother.

"Who was that?" Her eyes flashed.

"Where?" Sakura played dumb, but her breath caught in her throat.

"You know exactly who, Sakura."

"It was no one," she answered quickly before shoving her mother's groceries in her hands. "I'm gonna go change! That water is _cold_."

Mebuki only nodded as Sakura skipped away. Little did Sakura know that it was her mother who turned the sprinklers on.


	5. five

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

 _Kiba's place on Main, Saturday night at 8:30. Still coming?_

Sakura's eyes read through the message and a smile appeared.

 _Yeah I'll be there._

It was late at night, and Sakura could only stare at the ceiling. It was Thursday, she had an early morning ahead of her tomorrow, but she couldn't quite shake the feelings she felt lately. While school was still going well for her, she felt like she was forming a connection with Sasuke.

Not her sensei, but Sasuke. Regardless, Sakura felt sick to her stomach when she really thought about it. She was young, he was older than her and had already gone through university and had stable job, a house of his own, bills, meetings to attend to, all that adult stuff that she hadn't even had a glimpse at yet.

Her hand reached over to grab the pillow by her head, only to pull it over her face and groan loudly into it.

"Feelings _suck_ ," she spoke into the fabric.

Either she needed to quit running into him outside of school, or he needed to stop appearing at the most inopportune times.

.

.

.

"Mom I'm going shopping with Ino," Sakura called out the second she got home after school. All the kids that Naruto had invited to his party had been hyped up the entire day, and instead of having an easy class in homeroom, their sensei made sure that everyone didn't talk about the party anymore by assigning multiple pages of homework.

 _Best start now while you have time so there's not much to do this weekend_ , Sakura remembered his words. As much as she hated that he pulled that stunt, she also understood that he needed to remain firm with his class. After all, he wasn't their friend. He was their teacher.

Sakura smirked at the thought.

"Okay, honey. If you need a ride, just call me," Mebuki answered from upstairs.

Sakura jolted to her room and threw on a pair of skinny jeans, a simple gray and black sweater, sneakers and ran downstairs. She grabbed her bag, emptied out her books to decrease the weight and began to make her way towards Ino's.

The leaves on the trees were now starting to turn golden shades, and with the sun poking through the clouds overhead, it made a perfect picture. The patches of blue sky complimented the orange trees and even the maple aroma that filled the air made fall seem much more beautiful.

Sakura took a left at Grove and walked right up to Ino's door. She could hear the blonde squawking from inside - more than likely at her dad.

"Okay I'm leaving now!"

In an instant, the two girls were now face to face, only inches apart.

"Oh! I didn't think you'd meet me here," Ino laughed out as she closed the door behind her. Sakura responded with a smile before walking down the concrete steps and making their way towards the town mall.

"Naruto said you guys got a shit ton of homework assigned," Ino started their conversation off.

"Yeah. It was super nice of Uchiha-sensei to do that on a Friday night," Sakura scoffed before rolling her eyes. She figured she would get started on it the second she got home that night.

"Speaking of Uchiha-sensei-"

Here it goes, a conversation Sakura didn't want to have with her best friend. Because unlike her mother, Ino never dropped subjects until it was all out there.

"There's nothing to speak of regarding him."

"Sakura, c'mon! I've been waiting to hear it all week. You didn't even text me to tell me about it," Ino whined from beside her.

Sakura spared the blonde a glance before sighing. "Nothing really happened. He told me I shouldn't throw my future away. We could've been in a lot of trouble if the cops caught us. It was just kind of like… an eye opener."

Ino grew quiet before laughing loudly.

"That's so cliche, Forehead. I'm sure he partied it up while he was at college. He's your teacher so he's suppose to say those kinds of things."

"Yeah, I guess…" Sakura trailed off.

It wasn't the type of closure that Sakura wanted. She knew that Sasuke had said those things because there was something that Sakura had struck inside of him. The way he looked at her with his dark eyes told her there was something more behind his words.

Sakura closed her eyes before feeling absolutely sick to her stomach again. Unraveling the secrets about him was something she wanted to do, but that would entail seeing him more outside of school hours.

"Oi! Forehead, did you hear me?" Ino grabbed her wrist and pulled Sakura to her.

"What- No?"

"You were walking out into the road. What's on your mind lately?" Ino poked around for more information.

Sakura knew this was a sensitive subject, something she shouldn't be telling Ino. Regardless if the blonde was her best friend, she also had a big mouth and the last thing Sakura wanted was for rumors to go around the school. Then Karin would really be on her ass.

"I'm tired. I didn't sleep well last night," she lied through her teeth. Sakura felt fine, she slept well when she slept. The whole 'Uchiha-sensei' topic was what really tore her mind from her soul.

"Well it's time to wake up cause we're here!"

Sakura's hand fastened around the strap of her bag as she bit her lower lip. _Might as well have fun while we're here_.

.

.

.

"I think this would look really cute on you," Ino spoke as she held up a light green oversized sweater.

Sakura nodded her approval before taking the sweater from Ino and hanging it over her arm with the rest of her clothes. She also grabbed a couple pairs of jeans, a new peacoat, two necklaces and a few bracelets to accessorize with. Ino had an entire bag filled to the brim with clothes of all sorts. Sakura merely shook her head and chuckled at her friend.

"Right, so anywhere else we should go?" Ino added as they finished checking out.

"I'm kind of hungry actually," Sakura yawned out. It was ten after five now and the food court was growing packed with people.

They casually began to browse through the stands, but nothing looked appetizing at the moment.

"I might just get a smoothie and eat when I get home," Sakura shuffled uncomfortably while Ino looked at her with skeptical eyes.

"Okay," Ino nodded, but the second she took Sakura's wrist in her hand and began to lead her away from the food court was when Sakura felt her nerves going haywire.

Her friend pulled her to the eastern side of the mall, also known as one of the more quiet and secluded places and she took a seat at the bench near the doors. "Sit," she ordered Sakura, and that's what she did.

Ino was no longer looking at Sakura with concerned eyes, but she was glaring.

"What's really going on with you? You're all out of sorts. Walking into the road, talking really low and quiet, and now you're not going to eat at the mall? Just a smoothie? Please, Sakura. What's going on?"

Sakura bit her lip. There it was, Ino using her actual name again.

"And don't say it's nothing."

Sakura thought about what she could possibly say to get Ino off her back, but nothing came to mind. The more she thought, the more impatient her friend grew with her, but she didn't say a word.

"You don't want to go to Naruto's party?

"No, that's not it," Sakura sighed before running her fingers through her wavy locks. "I'm torn. I'm not sure what I want to do after school and it's going by so fast. I'm just not sure."

"Oh, Forehead. You worry too much. Don't worry, you'll figure it out!" Ino reassured her, but Sakura had lied. Of course she knew what she wanted to do after school. Her lie saved her today, but how long could she keep this up?

"You're right," Sakura smiled. "I have a ton of homework, so I really should get going."

Ino nodded as Sakura stood. "I have a few more places I wanna hit up, so I'll see you tomorrow, Billboard Brow."

Sakura shook her head and scoffed at the name before grabbing her bags of clothes and leaving through the doors to their right. It would take longer to get home from the eastern side of the building, but the cool air was what Sakura needed the most at this point in time. It made it easier to think, cleared her mind and helped her calm down. The image she wanted to erase the most from her memory were Sasuke's dark eyes, while she wanted to shake the image of Uchiha-sensei with ruffled hair and a stressed facial expression.

Sakura only laughed at her thoughts and continued to walk. She was starting to regret her decision to take the long way around the mall. It was now dark enough to the point that the streetlights were the only thing lighting her path, but she also knew that there would be a local coffee house coming up.

Hot chocolate sounded delightful.

The bell rang as she pressed through the door, and like a chorus, she was greeted with a 'welcome!'

Sakura smiled before heading straight to the counter. The warm air and freshly brewed coffee scent warmed her core.

"Could I just get a hot chocolate with some whipped cream, please?"

"Sure thing!"

Sakura nodded her thanks, paid and moved to the left to wait for her drink. The music that played in the background reminded her of the music that played in Sasuke's car the other night. She fell into the rhythm and listened to the way the piano played, but the second they called her name, she snapped out of her trance.

"Thank you!"

It tasted wonderful the second she took a sip - although it was hot - it sat in her stomach, and she smiled at the feeling. She hadn't noticed it when she walked in, but there were actually a few people sitting around at the tables and booths. Either they had a book, a laptop, a tablet or something they were focused on - more than likely all college students studying in a quiet and secluded place.

It was when her viridian eyes landed on a familiar messy haired man that she felt sick to her stomach and anxious from nerves. He was too busy paying attention to whatever was on his laptop screen to even notice her, but she felt like he knew she was there. Instead of taking a seat on the opposite side of the building, she made her way over to him.

He eyed her slightly before looking back at his screen, but the second he realized just who exactly was standing so close to him, he turned his face.

"Sakura?" He questioned.

"Hi," she muttered from behind the cup in her hand.

"What brings you here?"

"I was on my way home and decided to stop by for a drink," she answered honestly. The bag of clothes in her hand came to rest on top of her sneakers while she stood next to his table.

"You can sit if you'd like."

Just leave, she reminded herself. But as young and naive as she was, she sat in the table across from him and placed her cup on the table.

Sakura hadn't noticed, but he had one headphone in while he clicked around with his mouse and finally closed his laptop and packed it away inside of its case. He sat in front of her with a blank facial expression and wonder gleaming in his eyes. His hand soon came to wrap around his own cup.

"Shopping?"

"Oh? Uh, yeah! I went with Ino to get clothes for-" she stopped herself mid sentence and bit down on her tongue.

 _Don't tell him you're going to a party._

His raised eyebrow made her palms sweaty. When he raised his drink to his lips, his eyes remained on her. Every move he made was graceful and equally attractive. Even when his tongue came in contact with his lips to slowly remove the liquid from his lips, Sakura felt like her body would swoon.

"You're lying," he stated simply.

Sakura felt like she was drowning in his attention now. His presence was definitely overwhelming and as much as she wanted to get up and run away, her body willed her to stay. She couldn't tell him that Naruto was having a party. They were all a bunch of minors, gathering together for a night of drinking and fun - what the hell was she thinking?

Talk, she reminded herself. She was playing a dangerous game now as she sat in front of him; his eyes grew darker with each ticking minute and before she could answer, he smirked.

"Another party this weekend?"

Sakura frowned now. There was seriously no getting by this man. Then again, that also excited her and was probably a leading cause to why she was so drawn to him.

"Maybe," she smiled at him before taking her own drink.

Sasuke was no longer sitting back in his seat, but had his elbows on the table with his chin atop his hands. His smirk was almost nonexistent now and his eyes looked absolutely dreamy. Sakura could feel her heart began to hammer against her rib cage the more he leaned forward.

His hair fell around his face perfectly, framing his high cheek bones and brushing his jawline. Sakura had to bite down on her lower lip to refrain from saying something she didn't mean, but in her head all the alarms were going off.

She wasn't entirely sure what had changed about him in that timespan of a minute, but he looked absolutely gorgeous in the dim lighting of the building.

"Then tell me," he spoke in a low tone, "what're your plans, Sakura?"

She felt the blush rising to her cheeks, making her face go hot while her hand tightened around her cup. He was so close, the closest he had ever been and she hadn't noticed it before, but his scent was entirely tempting. Almost like cinnamon, yet a hint of smoke flowed from him and as his eyes watched her, Sakura's lips began to part. She was entirely hypnotized by his eyes; dark like spilled ink and deep like an abyss, Sakura had lost herself in them.

Her body had been leaning forward out of her seat, her arms balancing her weight the closer she got to him; less than a foot of space separated the two of them now. As much as she tried to fight off her hormones, a feeling of curiosity and amazement crashed throughout her body, urging her to continue, to see what he wanted - only to have all the excitement get canceled out from the vibrating of her phone.

"Yes, mom?" Sakura answered almost immediately. Her viridian eyes remained wide and on Sasuke. He retracted his body from his elbows and began to lift his case from the ground.

"Yes. I'm at the coffee shop," Sakura promised, her thumb hitting the screen to end the call.

She was still mesmerized by how close she had come to Sasuke and her blood was still soaring through her body. She felt hot, irritated but most of all, annoyed with herself for freeing her mind and letting autopilot take over.

"Do you need a ride?"

"No, my mom is coming to get me," Sakura smiled nervously.

His voice was gentle, much like his eyes now. When he stood from his seat, he pulled his coat over his arms and shoulders and grabbed his case from the floor. He was hesitating.

"Here's my number," he finally said. He grabbed the single napkin from their table and a pen from his pocket and quickly jotted the numbers down. "Call if there's an emergency."

Sakura held his number in her hand, her eyes bouncing down to it to read it and then back to him.

"I-I will."


	6. six

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Thoughts? Hope you're liking it so far! Enjoy :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

* * *

Sakura kept the napkin with Sasuke's number hidden in her pocket until her and Mebuki arrived home. She hadn't talked the entire way, as she was lost in her thoughts and trying to process just what she was going to do with his number.

"Good night," she called down the stairs before closing her door behind her. The click of the lock sounded and she pulled the napkin from her pocket and stared at it.

Was this real life or some horrible prank he was playing on her? The look in his eyes couldn't have been fake, no.

Sakura pulled her phone out of her bag and began to add a new contact for his information. Instead of putting his actual name though, she wrote something casual in, as to not get him in trouble if anyone decided to go through her phone - Ino, she thought.

Her fingers began to type and by the time she finished entering his information, Sasuke was now in her phone as _Himitsu U_. She couldn't think of a clever last name, so the 'U' would suffice for now.

Sasuke was her secret. It didn't matter to her how much she wanted to confide in Ino and tell her everything. This was something she'd take to the grave with her because now that she began to accept and acknowledge her feelings, she was finding a comfortable progression moving forward with him. Although he was her sensei, she couldn't deny what her heart wanted. And it was easily becoming clear that she wanted him.

She wanted to know about him, wanted to see him more. Sakura wanted to be able to go out and do things with him, travel, explore, experience new fun and exciting things, but she couldn't. Her mother would be ballistic if she found out, Ino would never forgive her, her reputation would be ruined and as far as Sasuke went, he'd be without a job and in jail.

Frustration overtook her emotions now as she curled her knees up to her chest and laid her head against them.

Life just wasn't fair.

.

.

.

Sakura shuddered at the weather when she checked it. It was now seven o'clock and Ino would be at her house soon. When Sakura began to go through her closet, she picked out the perfect outfit for the night.

One of her new pairs of skinny jeans, her simple black long sleeve, her ruby infinity scarf, a faded green jacket and a pair of high ankle boots. She felt somewhat uncomfortable at first as she looked in the mirror, but when she began to fix her makeup and apply winged eyeliner with a very natural smoky eye, accompanied by a nude shade for her lips, she felt gorgeous. Her hair went up in a bun on top of her head, messy but cute, and the moment she finished, she felt amazing.

"You did good," she praised herself as she twirled around in front of the mirror. The moment she stopped and stared at herself, she began to wonder what would Sasuke think? Maybe if she just sent a quick selfie -

"Forehead! Unlock the door!"

Sakura grabbed hugged herself around her shoulders out of embarrassment before hopping over to the door.

"You could've told me you were here!" She shouted back before unlocking and opening the door. "What time is it anyways?"

"After eight," Ino answered as she eyed Sakura. "Damn. You outdid yourself tonight. Anyone you plan on seeing?" The blonde winked at her.

Sakura's face went completely red the second she thought about Sasuke, but she instantly waved her hands in front of her face. "Absolutely not!"

A low hum came from Ino before she smiled. "My little flower growing up. I'm so proud!"

"Ew, shut up!" Sakura laughed before playfully nudging her friend.

Ino only laughed before her phone began to vibrate obnoxiously. "We need to go. Naruto has been blowing my phone up for hours now. He's concerned that we're not going to show up," she rolled her eyes before her thumbs began to move furiously over the screen of her phone. "I should just block his number for the night," she muttered under her breath.

"Anyways, my dad is outside. I figured we would just stay with Naruto tonight and make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid. You talked to your mom about that, right?"

"Yeah, she's okay with it," Sakura nodded. She enjoyed that her mother was actually letting her have some sort of freedom with her friends lately. Being a good child her entire life came with some perks.

"Good. Hopefully Naruto invited some good looking guys from other schools. I'm so tired of the boys at our school," Ino complained as they walked out of Sakura's room and towards the stairs. "Is it so hard to find a good guy who has his shit together?"

 _No. Not really_ , Sakura answered internally as she thought about Sasuke. She frowned at herself, angry that she would even think that. Her emerald eyes rolled as she followed behind Ino quietly. She grabbed her bag and keys that were waiting by the front door and locked the front door behind her.

In the parking lot waiting Inoichi and as they entered the vehicle, he smiled kindly towards Sakura. "Finally Naruto's big seventeenth birthday, huh?"

"Yep-" Sakura started to answer, before Ino cut her off.

"I still don't know why the school let him skip a grade so early on. He's hardly got an idea of what goes on."

Sakura felt her eyes narrow while she exhaled quickly. "That was rude," she commented.

"I'm just saying! He probably should've denied their offer. It would've been the better of the two choices."

"Now, Ino. It's not kind to insult others," her father scolded, yet when he looked her way, he still had a smile on his face.

The younger didn't answer, only buckled her seatbelt and waited for her father to pull out of Sakura's driveway and began their drive towards Kiba's house. Sakura had never been there, but according to Ino, their family had quite a huge house. Along with it, came a large two door detached garage that all the guys would use for parties - it had apparently been redone inside recently, so Sakura was eager to see it.

Song after song played in the car as Ino skipped through the playlist. She was always like this in the car: never content with anything that played unless she was really in the mood to sit down and listen to the lyrics. Sakura simply ignored the fact that they wouldn't be listening to an entire song during the drive. Thankfully they didn't have much farther to go.

"It's this one!" Ino shouted.

Inoichi began to slow down and turn his vehicle down the street that the large house resided on. When Sakura glanced out the window, she was amazed at how big his place actually was.

"They breed and raise dogs," Ino began to explain. "They have a _ton_ of property where they train them and when they upgraded from the garage, his mom gave it to him to just have. That's pretty cool if you ask me."

Sakura agreed quietly as she watched lights flashing from within the building and the low thuds of bass could be heard as the car was parked.

"Call if you need anything, sweetheart. And be safe," Inoichi warned Ino before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss to her temple.

Ino smiled back at her father, and Sakura would never admit it, but she was jealous of the moments that Ino shared with her father; it made her feel heartsick, much like she had lost her father to his job.

"Bye, girls!"

They each waved, their bags thrown over their shoulders as they walked towards the garage. There were already multiple kids standing around outside and the closer they came to Kiba's place, the louder the music grew along with shouts and yells from inside.

"Ino! Sakura!" Naruto's voice broke out from the crowd the second they entered. It was obvious that he had started early, as his eyes were puffy and red, while his words slurred through his yells. "I didn't think you were coming!"

Sakura laughed, but leaned into his hug. Before it got too late in the night and she forgot, she pulled his present from her bag and handed it to him.

"It's fragile, so don't break it," she warned as he took it from her hands with excited eyes.

He began to throw the paper from the bag and reach in. The first thing he pulled out was a pair of tickets for the last home game of his favorite college team, the one he was hoping to get into by the end of the year, University of Konoha. "Oh, wow! Thank you!"

He continued to fish around until he found the last object in the bag. It was a framed photo of both him and Sakura when they were both twelve and attending a science fair. Naruto had worn a huge lab coat and a pair of goggles - a snorkeling mask to be exact - while he stood next to Sakura with a heartfelt grin. It was one of Sakura's favorite pictures of them and he had _constantly_ bugged her for a copy of it.

"Wow," his voice was soft now. "You didn't have to…"

"Please! You've been bugging me for this picture for forever. Happy birthday, you goof," she hugged him one last time. He reeked of alcohol and Sakura knew just how much of a baby he would be in the morning.

"Well then. Now that you're here, we have to do a round of shots for greeting!"

"Wait, Naruto," Ino stopped him. "Can we at least put our bags away so no one steals our shit?"

Oh. Yeah! The door to the stairs is over there," he pointed, "and it's like a loft type apartment up there with a couple rooms. The one to the left will be yours."

They made their way to their room quickly and put their items on the bed. It was spacious, Sakura noted. Kiba had it made here.

When they began to walk downstairs, Sakura felt nervous and sick to her stomach. The moment they arrived, she couldn't help but think about what Sasuke had told her the last time she went to a party. He was an intimidating man, and when needed, he would get his point across one way or another.

"Jägerbombs for everyone!" The shout came from the boys' bar setup.

Huddled around them was a huge crowd and by the time they arrived, a shot glass was handed to each of them and friendly smile. Sakura swirled the liquid around in the cup before nudging Ino's arm.

"What's in this?" She asked quietly.

Ino responded with a short laugh. "I forget you're a total noob at parties still. When Naruto makes them, it's Red Bull and Jägermeister. He makes them strong, just a heads up."

When the time came, Sakura brought the glass to her lips and tilted her head back. It burned her throat as it glided down, but the taste was nice. She shook her head the second she brought her chin back down, and from beside her, Ino let out a holler.

"Happy birthday, Naruto!"

.

.

.

Sakura's night went by in a flash. Drink after drink, she kept up with Ino as best as she could. By the time people started to go home, Sakura could hardly focus her line of sight on anything. She felt warm and fuzzy on the inside, while her skin felt absolutely numb to any sort of touch.

"Forehead," Ino laughed. "Forehead, where'd Naruto go?" She stumbled over to Sakura and began to hang on her shoulder for support.

Just like her friend, Sakura could hardly stand, let alone someone trying to use her shoulder to balance on. Together, they tumbled to the floor and turned into a fit of laughter.

"Last I saw," Sakura started, trying to remember exactly where she saw him last. "He was on the bar with Sai. I think that was his name."

Ino nodded before lying back on the floor. Unlike Ino, though, Sakura began to get up. Her head was swirling now and she felt sicker than a dog. She hadn't felt the alcohol hit her all that much, but now it was like she'd hit a wall and she could hardly control her own body.

"I'll be back," she told Ino before vanishing towards the bathroom.

She felt like she wanted to throw up, but she didn't exactly need to. Sakura sat on the counter and waited for the light headed, nauseous feeling to return. She propped her head in her hand as she rested her elbow on her thigh, and the second she pulled her phone out of her pocket, she began to search through her contacts.

It was like she couldn't control her body now, everything she did, did it on its own and as much as she willed herself to stop, it just kept going. Everything was becoming a blur to her now and when she couldn't find the name she was searching for, she felt her mind plummet into disappointment.

"I saved it," she told herself, but moreso, tried to convince herself that she did. "Sasuke should be in here."

She swallowed hard now, her throat becoming try the more she began to panic when she couldn't find his name. Her thumb slid up the screen faster and when she finally crossed over a familiar looking word, she stopped.

"My secret," she whispered before smiling. Sakura hadn't realized it, but tears began to form in the wells of her eyes, and a single drop landed on her thigh - the denim soaked it up.

 _Hi._

She spelt out before sending it almost immediately. Instead of resting her head on her hand, she brought her phone to her chest and hugged it there while she leaned over into a comfortable position. Sakura no longer felt sick to her stomach or the need to vomit, no. Now, she felt impatient as she waited for the familiar vibrate to go off in her hands.

She waitedwaitedwaited, but nothing came back. The second she checked her phone, she hadn't realized it was that late in the night. It was a quarter past two, and the longer she waited for him to reply to her, the more distressed she became.

Overthinking overcame her, and before she could stop herself, she had his contact name opened and her thumb tapped the little phone icon.

After the first ring, her smile faded. Soon came the second, and she felt her stomach tie itself in knots. By the time the third ring sounded in her ear, she was apprehensive and overwhelmed, and when she waited for the fourth ring, it never came.

 _Where are you._

His voice sounded groggy, like he had just woken up. It thrilled Sakura when she heard it, and as she smiled, she also felt her heart plummet into the pit of her stomach and tears began to stream down her cheeks. In a matter of seconds, she was quietly sobbing while Sasuke waited for her answer on the other side of the phone.

 _Sakura_ , his voice sounded again, but this time it was louder and concern filled. _Where are you?_

She couldn't answer. She felt choked up and like her voice was lost now as she listened to his voice. It was comforting and soothed her aching heart.

It wasn't fair, life isn't fair.

"I'm at house on Main St. with my friends but I want to go home," she finally worded into her phone. As hard as Sakura tried, she couldn't keep her voice low. It took Sasuke a minute, but she could hear a ruffling sound on his end and a low sigh.

 _I'll be there in a few. Stay inside._

"I can meet you somewhere," she began to argue, but the words didn't come out as fierce as she had liked. Tears continued to stroll down her cheeks the more she talked to him.

 _Stay inside._

She remained quiet for a couple moments longer before swallowing once more. Sakura wanted to talk, she wanted him to know why she had called, but the moment she started to talk again, he had hung up and she was left alone. Her eyes became puffy from the moisture, and when she turned to look at herself in the mirror, she was thankful she had worn waterproof makeup.

Her phone slipped back into her pocket and when she exited the bathroom, there was only minimal people standing around with a drink in hand. Ino was no longer on the floor, and the more Sakura looked for her, the more furious she grew.

"Have you seen my friend?" She finally asked, but when she explained what Ino had looked like, it was apparent to Sakura that she had left and gone somewhere with someone else. "Sai?" Yep. That was the one.

Sakura rolled her eyes before going upstairs to the room they were suppose to stay in. She grabbed her bag from the bed and pulled her jacket's hood on over her head. With anger fueling her body now, she carefully made her way downstairs.

Everything was becoming blurry now, her body was getting harder to control the longer she went on, but the second she exited Kiba's garage, a cold burst of air nearly knocked her on her ass. Sasuke had told her to wait, but she was growing anxious. Sakura wanted to see him more than anything.

The grass crunched under her boots as she pressed on down the side of the road. Her fingers pulled her jacket closer to her body the longer she walked, and after only minutes of walking, she had to stop. Between the swirling feeling in her head overpowering the sensation of lightheadedness, Sakura felt like she'd tumble over if she continued to walk.

When a set of headlights began to wash out over the horizon, Sakura turned her head slightly. She felt relieved the moment she saw Sasuke's car pulled up, but that feeling faded the second he got out of his car.

He was pissed. His eyebrows were firmly knitted together, his lips pressed in a firm line while his dark eyes watched her the entire time he made his way over to her. The closer he got to her, the more Sakura's shoulders began to hunch up, but when he reached out for her, he slid her bag from her shoulder gently and placed it in the back seat of his car.

"I thought I told you to stay inside," he spoke as calmly as he could.

Sakura didn't answer. Her head dropped and she felt scalding tears begin to fall down her cheeks again, and before she could say a word, she threw her body against his and wrapped her arms around his torso.

He was incredibly warm, his chest rock hard and toned with muscle. She let her tears soak into his jacket, and if she had been sober, she would've noticed that his breathing stopped the moment she latched on to him.

"I want to go home," she spoke into his chest.

When she felt his hand come to rest on the crown of her head, she completely melted. Everything about this man excited her, and now that she was in his arms, sheh didn't want to leave. The numb feeling never vanished, but for some reason, Sasuke canceled that out with a simple touch of his hand to her shoulders.

When he brought his arms to hold her away from him, he began to search her eyes with his own.

"How much have you had to drink?"

"I don't know," Sakura snapped.

He didn't answer, only frown before opening her door and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He guided her to her seat, and when she came in contact with the heated leather, all the fight her body had to give was gone. Sakura was now over exhausted and when she glanced back up to Sasuke before he closed the door, he whispered more so to himself, than to her.

 _You have no idea what you do to me._


	7. seven

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters. _

* * *

**Chapter 7**

* * *

Between blurred memories, laughing and tears, Sakura found herself waking up in an unfamiliar area. The scent was all too familiar as she rolled her head into the pillows, inhaling deeply and relishing in it.

The moment she opened her eyes, she squeezed them shut and ran her fingers through her hair. The comforter that hung loosely over her body was thick and warm and as she began to pull it over her head, another wave of that familiar scent came rushing through her sinuses.

With the blanket pulled over her head, she peeked out from a small hole and began to scan her surroundings. The walls were white, minimal decorations hung and lined the room, yet it still looked entirely elegant. Sakura blinked back the oncoming headache, fighting the hangover that threatened to come if she emerged her head into the light.

When she rolled over to the other side, she found a sliding door that led out to the balcony. The door had been opened, and the screen door closed, allowing fresh air to flow in through it. It was cool, but refreshing - much like the glass of ice water on the nightstand next to the bed.

Memories from Naruto's party started to come back to her after a few gulps of water. Taking shot after shot with Naruto and Ino, shot gunning cheap beer, laughter, joking, lots of hugs, crying, and finally, calling Sasuke.

Her heart began to race the second she tried to remember what exactly it was she said to him. Everything was jostled together and none of it made sense, no matter how hard she tried to remember. Without moving too fast, Sakura began to get out of the bed. When she sat up, her head instantly began to pound.

The moment she was sitting on the side of the bed was when she noticed she was no longer in her clothes from the night before, but in the clothes that she had packed in her bag.

Her hand came to caress her forehead as she put her feet to the cool floor and stood from the side of the bed. Her foot falls were anything but quiet as she walked towards the screen door and took a look outside. She felt instantly sick when she realized that she was up incredibly high, probably the seventh floor of a building.

"I see you're awake, finally."

The voice from behind her startled her and when she turned, she no longer felt her head throbbing, but her heart.

"Where are we?"

Sasuke took a moment to reply and instead of answering her immediately, he beckoned for her to follow. "Breakfast is ready."

When Sakura exited the room, she noticed how plain and original his home was. She realized that it was a condo unit on the western side of town, away from the residential homes that resided on the outskirts and closer to downtown.

Sasuke pointed at a stool at the counter and she sat. A fresh glass of ice water along with a plate of egg whites, hashbrowns and bacon had been placed in front of her and Sasuke took a seat to her right with his own plate of food.

"Where's my clothes? And phone? And-"

"Eat first, then we'll talk," he ordered before taking a bite. It was apparent that he wasn't in a good mood due to the tone he took.

After shoveling a few bites of hashbrowns and eggs into her mouth, she washed it down with water and grabbed a piece of bacon. It wasn't too soft, and it wasn't too crunchy; it was perfect. The grease even tasted amazing when she swallowed and her body craved more, but she tuned into Sasuke's voice the second he began to talk.

"Now that you've got some food in your body," he started, "how're you feeling?"

"Rough," she answered honestly.

"Figured. You knocked out the second you got in the car."

He took a drink of his water and sat back in his chair. "Your phone and bag are on the sofa. Ino texted you asking where you went," his eyes turned to her. "I told her you were fine and you'd call her in the morning."

Sakura nodded as she grabbed her glass of water. There was one question she hadn't asked that she wanted to, but it just wouldn't come out. The more she eyed him, the deeper his frown grew.

"What?"

"It's nothing," she lied.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" Sasuke asked as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.

Sakura frowned back. "Did we uh - sleep in the same bed?"

Sasuke didn't answer, only looked away while a gentle blush flashed over his cheeks and bridge of his nose. Sakura felt like she could vomit now once the anxiety set in, but when he looked back in her direction, he refused to make eye contact.

"No. You slept there because you said it was _'so comfy and you'd never get off, ever!'_ " The change in his voice when he mocked her made Sakura blush but also laugh. He had actually mocked her with as high of a pitched voice he could make.

"That's great," Sakura groaned as she set her glass down and put her face in her hands. "Just great. And my clothes? How did I get changed into these?"

"You changed yourself. It's apparent, considering your shirt is on backwards and inside-out."

Sasuke's low laugh caught her attention and the moment she lifted her head from her hands, she caught a glimpse of such a soft smile that it fooled her for a moment.

When he got up and grabbed their plates, he began to scrape whatever food was left over and wash them. This gave Sakura a moment to look around and notice just how tidy everything in the dining room and kitchen was. The spices were organized alphabetically on the spice rack, books placed in order on his book shelf, counters dusted, floors swept and waxed, and even the throw pillows on the sofas were perfectly square.

"Do you live here by yourself?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered over the running water.

"Does your family live around here?"

"They did once upon a time. We all moved when I was young, but I came back for school and decided to teach here."

The more he talked, the more Sakura felt content with just sitting on her stool with her elbows on the counter and her head in her hands, listening to him talk. She felt childish, honestly. Infatuated with a man who's a few years older than her and he's her homeroom teacher.

"Why didn't you move back to be closer to your family?"

Sasuke's eyes peered up from the pan that he was washing and he smirked. "You and your questions, Sakura. I wish you would ask these many questions in class, sometimes."

She felt her lips purse at his statement and finally got off of her seat. She felt horribly disgusting from the night before and decided that it was probably time to go home.

"Do you mind taking me home?"

Sasuke didn't answer; he continued to wash the remainder of the dishes and when he finished, he casually leaned against the counter with his hands balancing him.

"You don't want to shower?"

The question frightened her, but when she realized what he had meant, she laughed slightly.

"Oh, sure. If you don't mind…"

Sasuke walked towards her, close enough that she could inhale his scent and feel intoxicated by that cinnamon and smoke smell. He looked entirely too comfortable to be around her when she was like this, and as he walked back around with her bag in his hand, she took it with ease.

"The bathroom is right across the hall from my bedroom. There's towels in the cabinet to the right of the sink," he stated with gleaming eyes.

Sakura nodded and began towards the bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door as quickly as possible, her feminine hormones getting the best of her. She shuddered at the feeling but when she suddenly saw her reflection in the mirror, she had to hold back a scream.

How could she look so horrible, yet Sasuke actually took the time to make her breakfast and talk to her as though she looked like a decent human being?

She groaned into her hands before peeling the clothes from her body. The water came shooting out of the shower head, and in an instant, the room began to fill up with steam.

This had to be a dream, this couldn't be real life.

.

.

.

"Have you done any of your homework this weekend?" Sasuke asked the moment Sakura walked out of the bathroom.

Now she really had a headache thinking about all the homework that she didn't do. And to make matters worse, her sensei was standing in the same room as her.

"Nope," she answered honestly.

His eyes widened slightly before looking to the television. Sakura ran her fingers through her wet hair and began to walk over to the sofa that Sasuke stood next to.

"I have a comb you can borrow…" he muttered underneath his breath. Sakura glanced over at him with a smile on her face, a small laugh sounding throughout the room.

"May I borrow it?"

He was gone and back within a matter of seconds, his hand extended out to her and handing over the simple black comb. Now it all my sense, why his hair normally looked tousled in such a neat manner in the mornings - he used this comb.

He was seated on the opposite end of the sofa now, the remote still in his hand as he watched the actors play out the scene on the television. Sakura ran the comb through her silky locks and every other stroke, she caught a scent of the cinnamon scented shampoo that Sasuke had in his shower. She figured he wouldn't mind if she used it.

"Much better, thank you!" Sakura gave him a kind smile as she handed his comb back. He muttered something underneath his breath, his eyes still on the television.

The room fell into a comfortable silence while Sakura began to focus on what was going on on the television. She found it slightly amusing, watching the two characters that she assumed had been brothers bicker and argue back and forth. It wasn't until they finished an entire episode that she glanced over at him and was met by his onyx eyes.

"I'm ready to go whenever," she reminded him. As much as she wanted to stay, she didn't want to intrude on his home and privacy. His response was what shocked her.

A simple shrug, "hn, I don't mind. You can stay for as long as you want." His eyes found their way back to the screen and he became absolutely quiet once more.

Sakura smiled and shifted on her side of the sofa, making her spot more comfortable as she came to rest her head in her hand and watch the show with Sasuke.

It was nice; spending Sunday morning in a nice condo, watching some sort of comedy show in silence with Sasuke only feet away from her. He didn't seem to mind her presence, and that's what made her feel giddy on the inside.

"How was the party?" His voice suddenly broke the silence.

"Huh?" Sakura glanced over, her eyes landing on Sasuke's straight face. "It was whatever, fun enough I suppose."

"Is that why you wanted to go home?" His tone turned serious along with eyes.

Sakura looked away, a light blush dusting her cheeks. She didn't actually want to go home. She wanted to see Sasuke, spend time with him, be done with all her high school friends that night and move on to a more quiet and secluded place.

"I didn't want to go home," Sakura confessed quietly.

Sasuke's eyebrow raised, his eyes glowing with wonder. "Then why did you say it?"

She felt like she had a lump in her throat now. She couldn't form words, nor think of anything to say without sounding like a complete creeper. What if Sasuke was just trying to be a good role model and take care of her when she needed, yet she took it the wrong way?

Sakura cleared her throat before looking away. When she looked back, she could feel the blush burning her skin. "I wanted to see you."

"Why?"

Oh, come on! Enough with the questions, Sakura screamed to herself on the inside. It was hard enough to answer the first one truthfully, but if she was going to be spending more time with him, they might as well get everything out there.

"Because I like you."

The second she said it, she put her head in her hands and waited for his response. Moments ticked by, and he still remained silent. Sasuke didn't shuffle, he didn't sigh, didn't grunt his disapproval. He only scoffed. Sakura refused to show her face after admitting such a heartfelt secret.

"Look at me," Sasuke spoke softly. Sakura shook her head before bringing her knees up and curling her body into a tiny ball. She wanted so badly to leave now.

" _Sakura_ ," he tried again. "Please look at me."

She took a quick glance over at him, and from there, she could see a small smile painted on his lips. His eyes were as gentle as his voice and he looked genuinely happy. Even his cheeks were colored in light tint of red.

"Why are you hiding your face?" He was no longer looking at her, but back at the screen.

"Because it's embarrassing."

"Hn," he grunted out. "If you feel that way, then that's your choice. But you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

Sakura no longer held her head in her hands, but she was now looking at him with curious eyes.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I guess that's something you can figure out on your own. You're a smart girl," he gave her a lopsided smirk before lazily tossing his hair around.

 _Fuck_ , Sakura felt her heart slam against her ribcage. _What a gorgeous creature he is._

It seemed like every time the two of them started to progress towards a life changing topic, one of their phones started going off. This time it was Sasuke's phone that started to ring.

"Hello?"

Sakura tried her hardest to hear the other person that he was talking to, but there was little to no sound coming out. His eyebrows narrowed slightly before he leaned forward and ran his hand through his dark locks.

"What do you mean in the next hour?" His tone changed drastically, along with it, he let out a low sigh, almost like a growl.

"Fine. Bye."

When Sasuke stood up, he looked everywhere but at Sakura. She sat quietly and waited for him to get done looking around and when he finally cast a glance her direction, she smiled softly.

"Everything okay?"

"Peachy. I gotta go. I can take you home." His sentences and words were short, his tone icy.

Sakura nodded before getting up. The cotton shorts and fitted shirt she had on wouldn't be enough clothing to wear outside in the chilly weather, and the second she reached down towards her bag, she couldn't find her jacket.

"It's in the wash," Sasuke stated. "You can borrow one of mine and I'll make sure to give your jacket back tomorrow."

The idea of wearing Sasuke's sweater sent butterflies through her stomach and she only nodded before he made his way to his bedroom. The second he emerged, he tossed a black sweatshirt her way, and she slid it on over her body. It was huge, her body swam in it, but she was too enthralled in the idea of wearing something of his.

"Don't ruin it, it's one of my favorites," his tone finally lightened up a bit upon seeing her grinning face.

When she held it out to look at the front, the letters 'U of K' were written in red and white ink, with their symbolic leaf behind the letters.

"Thank you!" Sakura practically screeched. Sasuke only rolled his eyes in response.

When Sakura picked her bag up from the floor and began to walk towards the kitchen, Sasuke was walking right behind her.

"So you like me," he repeated from behind her.

She felt the same blush from earlier crawl up the back of her neck and etch the stinging sensation across the bridge of her nose. "Yes…" Her head turned towards him, but within seconds, her back was pressed against the wall and her emerald green eyes grew wide.

Sasuke's mouth was now brushing the shell of her ear, and if it had been any other guy that put her in this position, they'd get a swift knee to the groin. But Sasuke being this close shut down her entire central nervous system and she could hardly control her breathing.

"Good," he whispered, his warm breath ran down her neck.

Sakura trembled from beneath him, her teeth biting firmly into her lower lip and as Sasuke began to pull away, it was when his lips graced her jawline that she felt the need to fall to the floor. Her knees were buckled now, and she couldn't believe this was actually happening.

"Come on, Sakura." He pulled his lips from her skin and smirked at her before taking her hand in his and leading her out the door.

 _This has got to be a dream._

.

.

.

"Aw, honey! That's a lovely sweatshirt. Have you changed your mind and decided to go to University of Konoha after all?" Mebuki cooed the moment Sakura walked through the door.

She didn't answer. She only placed her keys on the counter before walking straight to her room like a zombie.

The moment she entered, she fell to her bed and pulled her knees to her chest and began to smile so wide that her cheeks hurt.

"He likes me."


	8. eight

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

The Monday after Naruto's birthday, everyone seemed to be talking about how great of a party it had been. Sakura had fun, but she had even more fun spending an extraordinary amount of time with Sasuke afterwards. All in all, it was a great weekend - she even managed to finish her homework on Sunday. Although Sasuke's sweatshirt had been a distraction, it also motivated her to finish her work and stay on top of her studies. What kind of girl would he think she was if she didn't do the work he assigned her?

She now sat in her desk, waiting for him to enter the room. Ino had been perturbed with her this morning when she showed up, and Sakura knew exactly why.

"Where did you go Saturday night?" Naruto poked at her shoulder from behind.

Sakura's head turned slightly, the corner of her lip lifting. "Home," she responded.

"Ah. Ino said you disappeared-"

"Ino was the one to disappear," Sakura snapped back almost instantly. While Ino had every right to be angry with Sakura, Sakura also had the right to be upset with Ino as well.

"Sorry," Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Alright, everyone sit down and shut up," Sasuke snapped the second he walked through the door. Sakura felt her stomach flip the moment she saw him.

His eyes shot to her first, obviously making sure she was there today, but when he looked away, she could see the scowl forming on his face. He wasn't particularly happy when he dropped her off yesterday, either.

"Turn your homework in. If you didn't do every single page - make that every single question - it'll be an automatic zero."

A wave of whines and groans passed throughout the room and Sakura frowned. What was his problem today? He looked tired, his hair messier than usual while his clothes looked wrinkled.

"Uchiha-sensei, are you okay?" Karin interrupted him. The sudden glare he shot her way didn't go unnoticed, and the small squeak that escaped from her echoed throughout the class.

"Go to the office, Karin," he retorted. Every single student in the classroom looked to Karin who broke out in tears before leaving the room. Now the room was extremely quiet while Sasuke stood behind his desk with smoldering eyes. "Anyone else want to join her?"

"No, Uchiha-sensei," they all spoke quietly. Sakura didn't respond though, her eyes remained on him as he took a seat.

Class drug on, but the moment it ended, every student filed out as fast as they possibly could. Sakura even went along with the crowd, but her mind remained on Sasuke.

.

.

.

School was over before she knew it, and as Naruto walked out ahead of Sakura, she called out to him, "I'll see you guys tomorrow. I have some stuff to finish up."

Sasuke sat at his desk with his forehead in his palm while his other hand marked a paper he was currently grading. He didn't move nor say a word when Sakura walked up to him.

"Sasuke-"

"What is it, Sakura?"

Sakura pulled her hands to her chest and raised her eyebrows at him. His tone was rough, but when his eyes looked at her, she felt her entire body go numb.

"Are you okay?" She muttered.

He didn't answer, only turn his head back towards his desk and continue to mark the paper he was looking at. His handwriting was neat and clean, and the more he wrote down, the longer Sakura watched.

"My brother is an idiot," he finally scoffed. "A god damn idiot. Coming all the way here just to bug me with some stupid proposition. He could've called, but no. He just had to show up and ruin my night."

Sasuke looked tired the moment he sat back in his chair. The heel of his right foot came to rest on his left knee, while his fingers fumbled around with his pen.

"Is that what happened yesterday?" Sakura kept her voice as soft and as quiet as possible.

"Hn," he responded back quickly. "I had _other_ things going on. That asshole."

Sakura felt the ghost of his lips against her jawline, a light blush dusting her cheeks at the memory. His lips were entirely soft and gentle, tender and sweet. The small amount of moisture left on her skin the moment he pulled away seemed to never fade, and although she scrubbed her face last night and this morning, she still felt the heated sensation that he left behind.

His dark eyes found hers and his breaktaking smirk appeared. "Have plans tonight?"

"No," she breathed out quietly.

Sasuke remained quiet for a moment before leaning forward and writing a final score on the paper he had been working on.

"If you stay awhile, we can get something to eat."

Sakura felt nervous, anxious, and excited, but most of all, hesitant. "Is that okay to do?" She inquired.

"I don't see why not. I just need to finish grading these and print out assignments for tomorrow. Everyone will be gone by five. It's up to you," he finished with a side-eyed glance at her.

Sakura nodded before taking a seat at the closest desk. She pulled her bag up to her desk and removed her textbook and a notebook along with a pen. She even pulled out her headphones and inserted one into her ear before turning on some background music and sitting in silence while Sasuke finished his work.

An hour later, her phone buzzed and her eyes glanced at the screen. It was her mother.

 _Where are you?_

Sakura unlocked the phone and typed her message back.

 _Stayed after school. I'm going to get a bite to eat afterwards, so I won't be home for dinner._

When she placed her phone back on the desk, she found that Sasuke was watching her.

"It's my mom," Sakura smiled shyly. She felt like a child saying it, but the look that Sasuke gave her made her feel more confident.

Alright, sweetie. Just turn the lights off when you get home tonight. Love you.

Sakura responded back and then exhaled. She hated lying to her mom, but then again, she couldn't exactly be honest about what was going on. After another half hour of waiting, a different sensei popped her head in. Her ruby red eyes looked absolutely stunning, and the way her wavy hair framed her face made her look drop dead gorgeous.

"You're the last one out tonight, Sasuke. Have a good one- oh, hello, Sakura," she waved before leaving.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked quietly.

"Kurenai. She's a new instructor for one of the other classes," he answered from behind his computer screen. The only thing Sakura could hear after that was the clicking of the keys and a click or two of the mouse, and he stood up.

"You ready?"

"Yup!" Sakura chirped as she packed her book and notebook back into her bag. She threw it over her shoulder and began to follow Sasuke out of his room. The moment he turned the lights off, Sakura realized that it was also dark in the hallway and outside.

"Wow," her voice echoed throughout the hall. "It gets dark."

"It's not too bad," Sasuke retorted as he pulled his phone out and turned the flashlight on. They walked side by side down the hallway in silence. He opened the door for her and followed her out.

Sakura basked in the idea of purchasing her new peacoat, because it was freezing outside currently. She shivered slightly as Sasuke locked the door behind them.

"What are you hungry for?" He asked as he turned to meet her shivering form.

"Eh, whatever sounds good to you."

"We'll just get a pizza then," he stated quickly before smirking. "What's your favorite kind?"

"Just cheese," Sakura answered back with a smile.

"Hn, that's how my mom is too. So boring."

"Hey!" Sakura called out before following after him. Once she caught up and walked beside him, he glanced at her and gave her another smirk. "What's that look for?"

"Nothing," he looked over at his car as the headlights and tail lights flashed to life. "I find it amusing when you're flustered."

"Whatever," Sakura muttered before he took her bag from her. "Just cheese is great. You're missing out."

"Whatever you say, _Sakura_."

And there was something about the way her name rolled off his tongue that made her freeze in place, shivers emerging on every last inch of skin she had to offer. His dark eyes watched her with interest now as she held the car's door handle in her hand and stared back at him.

The moment he opened his door, she opened hers as well and they both slipped into the car. She wasn't sure what was changing inside of her, but there was just something oddly familiar about him. The ice around his personality began to melt and unlike the mean side he showed to everyone else, Sasuke was actually a very sweet man on the inside.

Sakura found that she was growing more comfortable around him each and every time they saw each other. When she went home yesterday, she began to think that she wouldn't have any more alone time with him for awhile; yet here they are, on their way to get dinner.

The engine roared to life and while the car sat in idle, Sasuke fiddled with the stereo. It was the only light offered in the car and from the reflection, Sakura could still see that same god damn handsome smirk on his face.

"You've been smiling a lot more lately," Sakura finally stated.

Sasuke looked up from the stereo and shook his head slightly. "Not sure why."

A song started up and it wasn't anything like the song she heard one of the first times she rode in his car with him. It was much more upbeat but still mellow, with a female singer speaking words that Sakura hadn't been listening to. The beat was addictive, though.

Their drive to one of the local pizza shops was short-lived, and instead of both of them going in, Sasuke informed her that it'd be better if it was just him.

"Right," Sakura agreed before he left. She hadn't realized it, but Ino texted her about an hour ago and she was just now looking at it.

 _Why'd you stay after school?_

 _Studying._

She waited for Ino's reply, not very interested in speaking to the blonde at this point in time. When her phone vibrated though, she felt sick to her stomach.

 _Oh. Are you still mad at me? Btw, just saw your sensei stop by Akimichi's shop. He must be taking some home for date. ;)_

Sakura locked her phone and threw it back inside of her bag. Was Ino really inside? She felt sweat begin to gather at her hairline, and her eyes scanned the doors for Sasuke's figure. Within seconds, he was pushing through the doors with boxes in his hands a blank look on his face.

She opened her door for him when he came around to her side and handed the boxes over. He didn't say a word, only shut the door behind him and got inside his seat.

"Ino was inside."

"I know," Sakura replied.

"Oh?"

"She texted me."

"Saying?"

"That she saw you. It's probably a good thing I didn't go in with you," Sakura huffed out. She could feel her palms sweating and the nauseous feeling still lingering within her stomach.

Her and Sasuke were playing a dangerous game.

.

.

.

"You hardly ate any," Sasuke pointed out the moment he walked behind the kitchen counter.

Sakura only replied with a small smile and shrug of her shoulders. "I don't eat that much!"

"You can just take it home with you. I don't eat this boring stuff, anyways," he jabbed at her. Sakura only rolled her eyes before looking back to the television.

She had pulled her book out to start some homework, but the second Sasuke turned the show on that they had been watching yesterday, she became completely distracted.

"What's this?" He asked the moment he made his way back over to the sofa. In his hands was the drawing that Sakura doodled on her first day of school. She snatched it from his hands before he could take a good look at it.

"It's nothing!" She laughed out nervously.

"Cause that's believable." His eyes watched her as she held the picture upside down in her lap. Of all the things he could've grabbed, of course it was the drawing she had done of him.

"I drew you." Sakura frowned before handing the picture back over to him. His eyes scanned the paper before he looked back up to her.

"Do I really look this happy?" He joked before handing it back.

Sakura's cheeks burned from the blush that settled there, and as she reached for the picture, her fingers brushed his. It felt both frightening and exciting at the same time, but she instantly pulled her hand away and looked at him with wide, viridian eyes.

"Afraid to touch my hand, yet you'll latch onto me after a few drinks?"

"What?" Sakura gasped out instantaneously.

Sasuke smirked before shaking his head. Sakura sat in her place, drowning from anxiety because of what he just said. Instead of letting the thought eat away at her mind, she grabbed her pen and began to take more notes.

They sat in silence for about an hour until Sasuke's body shifted.

"When you write, you look really focused."

Sakura looked up with parted lips and glassy eyes. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No."

Sakura looked back to her notes and continued writing. She couldn't shake the fact that Sasuke continued to watch her with those gorgeous, dark eyes of his, either. When she glanced over at him, she narrowed her eyes playfully. "If you keep distracting me, I won't pass any other class but yours, _Uchiha-sensei._ "

It was his turn to frown back at her now. "You think I'm being distracting?"

Sakura didn't answer, only smile mischievously. Her smile faded when he started to inch towards her, though. Closer, closer, closer. Until his leg brushed hers and she could see the silver flecks reflecting in the dim lighting of the room.

"If you think I'm being distracting by simply sitting here, then I could probably show you how much of a distraction I can be."

Sakura swallowed hard before she felt his fingers take her hand and remove the pen from her fingers. She didn't speak, only watch him move gentle and slowly; careful to not frighten her. She watched as his jawline tensed, and within seconds, his lips were pressing subtle kisses to her knuckles.

Sasuke moved slowly, his eyes no longer on her own, but watched her hand as he opened her fingers and pressed one, long lasting kiss to her palm. Now that he held her hand to his lips, he glanced at her through her fingers and smirked underneath her hand. The vibrations from his words tickled, but she didn't flinch or pull away.

"Tell me. Are you distracted?"

Her heart was racing as she watched him, her mind unable to shake the feeling of his touch. Her core was growing hotter by the second, and when she began to nod, the words finally stumbled from her lips.

"Y-yes."

His devious smirk just about sent her heart beating through her chest, and when he laid her hand back on her notebook, he retreated back to his side of the couch. Sakura sat with her emerald green eyes wide with shock while she curled her fingers inward, her nails biting into the spot on her palm that Sasuke had just kissed.

"You'll probably fail those classes if you don't study," he reminded, that same devious smirk painted on his lips while his eyes glimmered with mischief.

"Smart ass," Sakura breathed out before her eyes scanned the page, searching for where she had left off, but to no avail. Her blood was still rushing, her head pounding while her skin felt cold to the touch, but hotter than hell.

If a simple kiss to her hand had this much of an effect on her, the she pondered what an actual kiss would do to her.

She swallowed before hiding her face; hiding the blush that dusted cheeks.

She'd think about that later, when she was at home and alone.


	9. nine

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

* * *

Sakura wasn't exactly too sure how she lucked out that night. She remained on her side of the couch, with her pen in her hand as she finished her notes. Sasuke seemed to have zoned out, but Sakura could feel the tension in the air between the two of them.

Her hand burned from where his lips had touched, and as she fought off the feeling to glance over at him, it wasn't enough.

"Have you had lots of girlfriends?" She asked quietly, her hand still covering her face while she continued to write.

Sasuke clicked his tongue before exhaling, "only one. It didn't work out, lasted a month. I was still in college." His monotone voice rang out.

Now that Sakura had uncovered her face, her viridian eyes watched him glance back over at her. She could already feel her cheeks tint over pink, and her skin numb up while her heart clenched in her chest. His smoldering, black eyes remained on her, thick lashes blinking before he asked his own question.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"I-uh," Sakura started, her mind frantically racing for an answer, "I've never had time for one, I guess."

"Interesting." He responded with cool voice. "Okay then. I take it you've never kissed anyone, have you?"

Sakura felt her legs tense up and the muscles in her arms tighten. Her fingers curled around the pen in her hand and teeth gritted against one another. Sasuke's eyes stared right through her, his overwhelming presence making itself clear once again.

"No," she answered honestly, but with the lack of confidence in her voice, she felt like a silly child.

His response was as expected. Sasuke smirked, his eyes lighting up with something Sakura had never seen before and as much as she wanted to look away from him, she couldn't tear her eyes from his. He looked absolutely handsome in the minimal light offered from the lamp, and the way his high cheekbones and strong jawline tensed from his smirk, stirred up the butterflies from within Sakura's stomach.

Her heart beat echoed in her ears, while her throat became tight with anticipation. She felt her fingers shaking under his stare now, but before Sakura could regain her composure, she was setting her books aside and making her way towards Sasuke now. He didn't move under her gaze, only waited for her to approach him.

"Is it weird, Sasuke?" She breathed out before coming to sit on her knees beside him. He was still lounged back, one arm on the armrest, the other resting on the back of the couch. "Kissing?"

He raised an eyebrow before straightening his posture and coming to sit up. "Not if it's with the right person," he answered quietly. Sakura was perched next to him now, his form sitting right in front of her with his eyes focused on her and only her.

She wanted to reach her hand forward and brush his locks of obsidian tresses from his face, tuck the longer pieces behind his ear and feel his skin clash with hers; only she didn't move, she only stared into his eyes, begging him to move closer, begging him to teach her something other than literature.

Sakura had watched many chick flicks, the iconic ones when they meet a man, hook up, start dating, break up, but then end the movie with forgiveness and a strong lip-locking session. She would always feel her heart rate increase while her stomach would juggle the butterflies that fluttered lightly inside. She never thought that she would feel this anxious, gut wrenching, time frozen experience, though.

His scent lured her in, begged her to come closer, and the more she found her body moving closer to his, his left hand came to rest on her tricep. He wasn't entirely stopping her, but he also wasn't letting her advance.

She could see the desire in his soot eyes, notice the glimmering fascination that reflected from the unnatural lighting, yet he didn't accept the fact that she was growing closer. He only responded like a responsible adult would. "It's getting late."

Sakura glanced at his wooden clock on the wall.

"Oh, shit." Her lower lip sunk into her mouth, welcoming the teeth that bit into the flesh. "How is it already ten?"

The tension between the two of them had melted at some point, and while she still sat close to him, she still felt an odd distance separating them. Maybe it was because she was younger than him, still a senior in high school and finding that her crush on her sensei was something more than a crush and also way out of her reach.

This all should've been wrong, and Sakura should've acknowledged that the moment her beating heart would thrum against her ribcage whenever he was near. Or how her blood would turn to molten lava and she was never able to control her blush.

Maybe she would've acknowledged all of it if she hadn't found that she was absolutely infatuated by this man. Maybe she would've known that this was all wrong if she hadn't broken the ice that coated his personality underneath his rough, outer shell.

His fingers were now twirling the ends of her silk, rose locks and Sakura accepted it. Sasuke was gentle, he was soft-spoken when needed, calming, his presence overwhelming at times and he could come off as intimidating, but he was also her safe haven. As funny as it sounded inside of her head, she felt comfortable and relaxed around him - even under the gaze of his abyss dark eyes, she couldn't help the nagging feeling that encouraged her.

"We should probably get going," he muttered through each short breath that he took. His fingers came undone from her curled ends and into the pocket of his slacks. When he stood from the sofa, he flicked the television off and offered a hand towards Sakura.

She accepted it, a jolt of static running wildly through her blood. His hand was large, his fingers soft while his palms were calloused. "Do you work out?" Sakura asked, only the realize that it was probably a random thing to ask.

"Yes," he replied almost as quickly as she had asked. No wonder his hands were calloused; as rough as they were, he was gentle with her as he pulled her from her seat.

She twirled around on her toes and began to pack her belongings up in her bag, only to have Sasuke stop her. He reached towards the drawing that she had made and held it up. "Can I keep this?"

"Why?"

"Is it wrong for a teacher to have a drawing made by his student? He mocked with a smirk.

Sakura frowned before smiling lightly. "Whatever."

.

.

.

Her house was dark the moment he dropped her off. The porch light had been left on, and as Sakura began to undo her seatbelt, Sasuke's hand rested on her wrist.

"Why are you so curious about how a kiss feels?" He inquired.

The same butterflies from before flocked out, and she couldn't help the knot that formed in her throat or the way her eyes widened. "I guess I was just curious. You see people kissing in movies like it's no big deal, so… I just wonder what it's really like?"

"I'm sure you'll find out one day," he spoke with a light hearted tone and somewhat of a smile. He retracted his hand before she nodded with curious intentions.

Sakura grabbed her bag from the back seat of his car before leaning in and smiling at him. "Good night!"

"I'll see you in the morning," he responded with a grimace.

.

.

.

Throughout the course of the next couple of weeks, Sakura found herself busy with school work and studying for multiple different tests. From Sasuke's class, to Gai's, she was either working on her running form, performing many different strength exercises to pass her physical exams, or doing page after page of homework from literature, to math, to chemistry. She felt her brain spiralling out of control; along with all of her school work, she progressed in applying for scholarships as well.

Her relationship with Ino had been awkward lately, whether it be Ino avoiding Sakura, or Sakura avoiding Ino, they hadn't been on speaking terms. One day, Naruto finally brought the subject up to Sakura.

"When are you two going to start acting like best friends again? It's getting weird," he stated through each bite of ramen.

Sakura frowned at him before popping a grape in her mouth. "Not sure."

It was Naruto's turn to frown. "Look, I get how all you girls are with your emotions and moodiness, but c'mon. You gotta get over whatever happened and move on. It's weird not seeing the two of you attached by the hip anymore."

Sakura frowned slightly before reflecting on his words. "Yeah," she answered plain and simple, "I guess you have a point."

Naruto finally offered a gentle smile before taking another bite. "I just want you to be happy. You've been working on schoolwork nonstop, that I worry sometimes. You've become great at keeping to yourself as well."

"What do you mean?" Sakura raised a brow in question.

"Well, you stay after school all the time working on school work, and then avoid me during the weekend because of more schoolwork." His voice held concern and worry, as did his ocean colored eyes.

Sakura's mind flashed to the few evenings she had been spending with Sasuke. She would wait after school and either write notes or work on scholarships, have dinner with him and then spend some quality time at his condo. While they would only watch TV, chatter over random things that had taken place throughout the day, or sit in a comfortable silence, Sakura felt that their time together was to be valued.

After all, her friends were starting to catch on to her absence.

"Sakura?" Naruto asked, his face appearing right in front of hers.

"Oh-right. There's a lot of time and energy going into my schoolwork lately, Naruto. I have dreams, goals that I want to accomplish and if I don't give it my all, I won't make it."

"Oh right! Ms. Future Doctor!" He spat out with an ear to ear grin. Sakura chuckled softly before ruffling his golden hair.

"That's right," she responded. "I'll see you later, I've got some assignments to turn in-"

"I forgot to ask!" Naruto interrupted her with apologetic eyes. "Halloween, Friday night. Everyone is going out then coming to my place to hang out. You in?"

Sakura pursed her lips before thinking about it. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to get together with her friends and spend some time with them again. After all, she had a pretty set schedule of studying and tending to her secret more so than entertain the idea of being an outgoing senior girl like the rest of the gals in her class.

"Sure," she offers. "Why not?"

.

.

.

Her phone vibrates along the counter, and when she glances at the screen, she sees Ino's nickname.

"Hello?"

 _"Forehead! Naruto said you're going to the party tomorrow. What're you going as?"_

Sakura sat with her pen in her hand as she began to think about Ino's question. She hadn't put any thought into it, and now that she did, she didn't want to dress up.

"Nothing," she responded. "I'll just show up at Naruto's once everyone gets back."

 _"You can't just go there without a costume, Forehead."_ Ino's voice was like venom, her reaction time quick. It was like the two of them had hardly missed a beat. Sakura laughed into the phone.

"I have nothing to wear," her confession resulted in a short exhale from Ino.

 _"I'll bring something over tomorrow and we can go together! Sound good?"_ Sakura began to speak, but Ino cut her off again. _"Good! Bye!"_

She pressed her phone down the counter and shook her head.

"Typical Ino."

.

.

.

"I am not wearing that fucking thing outside. Do you know how cold it is right now?" Sakura hissed. Ino stood in front of her, holding the 'sexy feline costume' like Ino had called it.

"Every guy will love it. Just put it on," Ino deadpanned dryly, her patience wearing thin the more Sakura refused. "Look, I'm dressing as a bunny. We'll be cute!"

Sakura looked around her room, trying to find something that would strike up a distracting conversation, but the moment Ino shoved the outfit into her arms, she felt defeated. "If I don't like it, I'm not wearing it - oh, wait-"

"Shut up and put it on, Billboard!"

She frowned, her viridian eyes matching up Ino's baby blues before submerging through the bedroom door and slinking into the bathroom. She held the costume up before groaning. She slid into it with ease, pulling her arms through the slim, black crop top and pulling the spaghetti straps over her shoulders; it hugged onto the curves of her hips, squeezed her breasts with the built in, padded bra and even made her waist look tinier than it already was.

Sakura bit her lip before pulling the spandex leggings on next.

"This is _such_ an Ino outfit," she whined. With the leggings pulled all the way up, she felt something hanging from the elastic band behind her - the tail of the costume brushing against her bum.

" _Such_ an Ino outfit."

With cute, black flats slipped onto her feet and triangular ears holding onto her head from a headband, Sakura glanced at herself in the mirror. She swallowed, imaging just exactly what Sasuke would think if he were to see her. Her bare arms broke out with goosebumps at the thought, and the moment she walked back through the door, Ino was perched right there.

"Look how cute!"

"I feel silly," Sakura admitted, her cheeks turning pink under the eyes of her best friend.

"Well don't. You look great. Look at those curves, girl."

Sakura felt her blush darken in color, the back of her neck burning at Ino's compliment. "Fine, but I'm changing once we get to Naruto's."

"But that's when the fun starts to happen! He's having an actual party, y'know? Iruka is out of town, that means it's party central at Naruto's. Before we go, though," Ino stopped Sakura before she could get around her friend. The blonde pulled out a stick of eyeliner, and with an ear to ear grin, she held one of Sakura's shoulders and brought the pencil to her face.

"Ino," Sakura warned, but it was too late. The blonde had already gotten her way, lining Sakura's face with whiskers much like Naruto's, and finishing off with a dot on her nose. Sakura felt herself seething with anger now, but Ino was happy with the final look.

" _Now_ you're ready."

.

.

.

Naruto had invited Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Sai, Kiba, and a few others from their school for their outing, but the moment everyone showed up, they decided against it. Sakura also didn't feel uncomfortable in her costume anymore, seeing as everyone else had dressed up as well. Ino put the icing on the cake with her bunny costume though.

"You look nice," Naruto complimented as he began to bring their cheap beer and hard liquor up from his basement. He handed Sakura a couple of bottles to carry, and while she walked with him, she felt like multiple pairs of eyes were on her.

She hated the feeling of the skin tight leggings and the way Ino's black crop top brushed against her skin. Sakura felt revealed, naked. "Who's all coming tonight?" She asked, trying to distract her mind from the claustrophobic strangle that creeped up her body.

"Lots of people. From other high schools, people from colleges. I dunno yet, we'll see!" He grinned back at her as he set the case of beer on the counter. "Should be killer though."

"Right," Sakura agreed. "I might go put my sweater on."

Naruto clasped her shoulder in his hand, causing her to jump in his wake. His concerned eyes reigned down on her from above, his eyebrows raised slightly. "If you're not comfortable with wearing that, then why wear it?"

Sakura couldn't help but let a small smile appear on her lips. She couldn't get over the fox ears that sat atop his head, or the bushy tail he had hanging from his waist.

"To support your party, I guess," she responded with an unsure tone. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach while her mind did backflips. "And because Ino wanted me to dress up."

Naruto crossed his arms before laughing slightly. "You certainly are a good friend to her. Anyways, let's get finished setting up! People will be here any moment."

.

.

.

Sakura found herself people watching most of the night. They came in spurts, from people coming dressed up as cute animals to deadly ones, super heroes to villains, slutty costumes to some people who didn't even dress up. Sakura simply sat on the balcony from Naruto's room, a drink in her hand, while her emerald eyes watched.

The patio was packed due to the beerpong tournament that Naruto had started up. The music was loud, tons of laughter and chattering, and Sakura found herself alone while she watched people make drunken asses of themselves.

As she threw the rest of her drink back, utterly disgusted with the warm beer, she made her way through Naruto's room and downstairs to get another drink. She had been catcalled multiple times that night, but instead of responding, she carried on with her night like nothing had happened.

It wasn't that she was refusing to have fun, she just didn't want to be there. The moment she walked through the kitchen entry way, instead of heading towards the beer, she grabbed the hard stuff and began to make herself a drink.

"What're you making?" A familiar sublime voice sounded against the shell of her ear. Sakura felt chills rush throughout her body, and a smile form on her lips.

"What're you doing here?" She turned her head slightly, yet her eyes remained on the bottle while she poured the liquor into her cup. Once she finished, she turned to see his familiar smouldering eyes and that damned gorgeous smirk of his.

Sasuke's hair wasn't artfully ruffled around, or tamed. It was thrown around with hair gel now, his bangs falling over his eyes while he had casual clothes on that Sakura absolutely fell for. A pair of dark gray jeans, a black pullover hoodie, and a pair of Vans. He was such a mature person with a young appearance.

"You look so _young_ ," Sakura cooed, her eyes glistening as she eyed him up and down.

"Hn, considering I still am young," he retorted with a scoff. "I figured I'd stop by. Some friends of mine said they were coming."

"Friends?" Sakura questioned almost instantly. Sasuke's thumb pointed back to a guy with whitish-blue hair and pale skin. The color of his eyes looked almost unreal with that purple hue, but then again, he could've been wearing contacts. "Does he teach, too?"

"Nah. He's still in college. On his last year, though," Sasuke answered before taking her cup and glancing into it. "What did you make?"

Sakura couldn't answer him, she couldn't get over the fact that he was here, at one of his student's parties, dressed down like some younger version of himself.

He looked fucking _amazing_.

"Also," he whispered before reaching around her, "nice costume."

Sakura felt the familiar blush that she had been experiencing more and more lately come to her cheeks and heat up the tips of her ears. "Ino made me and-"

"I'm serious, nice costume."

Sakura frowned before stepping aside. "What're you even doing?"

"Making you something else," he responded, obviously knowing damn well what he was doing. Sakura simply watched from the side with curious eyes and a tap of her foot.

"Try this," Sasuke finally handed back the cup before stepping back and pulling his hoodie on over his messy hair. The way it framed his high cheekbones made him look like an angel sent down from the heavens, and Sakura just couldn't shake how young and casual he looked.

"You're not scared of getting caught?" Sakura questioned, her anxiety getting the best of her. "You'll get in trouble, Sasuke."

He raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. "There's too many people here to really notice. Plus, I'll be leaving soon anyways." His tone was an octave lower, his eyes a shade darker as he smirked. "Care to join me?"

"I can't," Sakura spoke too quickly.

Sasuke only nodded. "Fair enough," his smirk diminished. "I'll see you around then."

Sakura felt every ounce of energy leave the moment he turned around, and before he could depart, she called out to him. "Wait!"

His head turned, his eyes landing on her in her silly cat costume.

"Give me two seconds," she set the drink down and booked it upstairs. She stripped from the crop top that Ino had given her and slid into her own black hoodie, along with a pair of denim skinny jeans. She kept the black flats on, discarded the ears and rubbed the drawn on whiskers and nose off.

With her bag around her shoulders, she came back downstairs and found Sasuke waiting right by the door, girls standing in front of him, trying to strike up a conversation. Sakura stopped on the top stair and watched, but it was just so much like Sasuke to look away the moment they asked a question and have his dark eyes land on her, a smirk painting itself on his lips.

She bounced down the stairs now, meeting him at the door before they left.

"Sakura!"

She felt her blood turn to ice and her body freeze.

"Where are you going?"

It was Ino. When Sakura turned to meet her baby blue eyes, she smiled sheepishly. She could feel her stomach tying itself into a million different knots while sweat began to accumulate against her hairline. Sasuke didn't move from his spot, he had frozen too and waited for Sakura to convince Ino as to why she was leaving.

"I'm going home," Sakura lied through her teeth.

"Home? With this guy? Who is this?"

Sakura could hear Ino's words slurring together, while her steps were sloppy. Now that inched her way closer, she could see the puffy red eyes on her best friend. Even her costume was looking rather haggard now.

"Who is this?" She repeated, but this time with more force to her voice.

Sasuke turned to meet her gaze, and the moment he came face to face with her, her eyes lit up.

"Woah!" Ino shouted. "Hottie!"

Sakura stifled the laugh that escaped through her lips, not only at her friend, but at the look on Sasuke's face. He looked absolutely unamused, and the longer Ino stared at him, the narrower his eyes grew. Sakura felt that it was convenient to break up their staring contest now.

"Right, we're going now," Sakura said as she began to take a few steps away from her blonde friend.

Ino winked before shouting, "text me and tell me about your night!"

Sakura's face flushed and by the time she turned on her heel, she had her hood pulled up and over her face. Sasuke followed her from behind, and although she wasn't looking at him, she could sense the smirk on his face while his eyes shimmered with amusement.

"You're crazy," Sakura spoke through the fabric. "Damn crazy."

The minimal light offered by the pale moon was rather eerie, and through Sakura's insults, she felt Sasuke behind her in seconds. It reminded her of her first day at his condo. The way his lips pressed to the corner of her jaw, the way her body completely shut down at his touch. Now he was behind her again, and shadowing each step that she took.

Sasuke didn't respond, only remained behind her as she led the way. They were now far away from Naruto's party; no longer in ear shot of the music or the stragglers that had left already. They passed by trick-or-treaters and parents that walked their children, until they made it to the outer circle. They walked the path that led through the residential part of Konoha, passing by multiple houses and fenced yards.

Their quiet walk eventually stopped when Sakura noticed that she had no idea where she was going. Sasuke, as smart of a man that he is, noticed this far before she did.

"Finally realize that we're walking blindly in the dark?"

Sakura responded with a scowl before exhaling, her back coming to lean against the nearest trunk of a maple tree. "Did you park somewhere?"

"I did," he responded casually. He was now standing before her, his eyes gazing down on her.

Sakura felt her heart as it began to soar and her knees lock up. She was no longer casually leaning against the tree, but now, she watched as Sasuke took a step towards her.

"Where are you parked?" She squeaked out.

"Down the road," he responded before taking another step, "in the opposite direction."

Sakura was drowning now. She felt those familiar butterflies break free and not only flutter in her stomach, but throughout her entire body. Her emerald eyes stayed on Sasuke, her heart hammering against her chest while a lump formed in her throat.

His cinnamon and smoke scent rushed through her nostrils the closer he got, and now that he was hovering over her body, she could feel the warmth that radiated from him.

Their bodies were hardly brushing now, but the close proximity of him caused her chest to clench and her fingers to tremble. This was the closest she had ever been to a guy, and the fact that is was Sasuke made her entire body go haywire under his intense stare.

Sakura felt her hands reach out to him, one landing on his left pectoral, right above his heart. From there, she could feel the frantic beat of his heart, and he too, had been more than nervous in this intimate moment between the two of them.

"Sasuke," she breathed out while her other hand came to rest on his other pectoral.

He was built, his body hard from beneath his clothes. Sakura was unfamiliar with what to do in a position like this, but instead of overthinking, she let her body do the thinking for her. With her hands on his pecs, Sasuke's hand came to rest on her hip, while the other came to play with the ends of her pastel locks.

" _Sakura_ ," he responded with a husky voice. He was closing the gap between the two of them now, his body growing closer to hers until he was leaning right up on her.

Sakura's arms began to wrap around the back of his neck, her fingers pulling the hoodie from his head and releasing his wild, obsidian locks. She always pondered just how his hair felt, and now she knew; thick but smooth. Her nails massaged the nape of his neck, while the fingers on her other hand ran through the roots of his hair.

"You have no idea what you do to me," his voice sounded over her ear now. His breath was warm against the skin of her neck, and while she pulled him closer, his lips pressed softly to her ear lobe.

She breathed out both a pleasurable but shocked groan into his ear, and when she felt his lips pull away from her skin, she felt her mind screaming for more.

He pulled his head away now, his eyes staring into hers, almost asking a silent permission. She didn't know how to respond, she didn't know what to do now. He was so close, yet so far away and the longer he looked into her eyes with those dark, abyss eyes of his own, the more Sakura desired him.

"Is this is what you really want?"

Sakura felt her lips part, and her eyes grow heavy. Of course this is what she wanted. She was practically breathing him in, soaking him up, the only thing left was to taste his lips against hers.

"Yes," she breathed out gently.

He blinked once, twice, until his lips were just above hers, his eyelashes closing over his smoldering eyes, and just like Sasuke, Sakura felt her own eyelids close over viridian eyes.

It was almost non existent, yet the most exciting thing in the world. She felt like she was on cloud nine, yet anchored down. The only thing she could feel were his lips pressed to hers, tender and soft, gentle like the fluttering wings of a butterfly.

Sasuke's hand cupped her cheek, the other resting on her hip while Sakura stood on her tiptoes and pulled him closer. They held each other under the pale light of the moon, their lips pressed together, while their beating hearts beat in unison.

Sakura wasn't exactly sure why he had pulled away, but as they made eye contact for that brief second, she could see someone different in those dark eyes of his. When he pulled her back into his embrace and his lips pressed against hers once more, she tightened her grip around his neck, relishing in his scent, his touch, and his taste.

 _Happy fucking Halloween._


	10. ten

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hey guys! So now that I'm all caught up with adding these from my tumblr account, I'll update the story as I add them to tumblr. Again, I might be delayed with adding them here, so if you'd like to keep up with this on my other account, follow me at **roraewrites**. _

_Let me know what you think so far :) reviews are greatly appreciated and thank you for reading!_

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

* * *

Frozen, crunchy grass, minimal rays of golden light, piles of leaves from dead trees - November was in full swing. Mornings always bit with the intentions of upcoming winter, but Sakura couldn't feel the chilly bites of realization anymore.

She was drunk on Sasuke and high on life. Between her school work, spending time studying and Sasuke, she was in a continuous cycle. Her friends still didn't know about Sasuke, her family didn't know about him, but neither did Sasuke's friends or family know about Sakura.

 _A few more months_ , Sakura kept reminding herself. Only a few more months until her eighteenth birthday, and maybe then she would be looked at like an adult. _A few more months_.

"Don't forget that we will be having family over soon," Mebuki reminded from across the table.

When Sakura's jade eyes found her mother's glazed over look, she offered a tired smile. "Yeah, I won't forget." But her answer didn't seem to calm her mother's facial expression, nor ease it up at all.

"Everything okay, mom?"

Mebuki came to cross her fingers under her chin, balancing her head in place; it was such a Sasuke thing whenever Sakura watched anyone else but him do this.

"You've been acting different lately. Staying out late every night, avoiding questions, going out and not coming home over the weekend. It just seems a little odd to me," Mebuki finally deadpanned, her voice as dry as a desert.

Sakura frowned before an unsettling feeling crawled up her spine. Had she really noticed all of that?

"I'm enjoying my senior year with my friends."

"And what friends would that be?" Mebuki retorted.

Sakura was taken aback, her eyes wide with fear and her lips parting. She was hanging out with Naruto and Ino, of course. Who else?

"Naruto and Ino," Sakura responded before taking a bite of her breakfast and washing it down with a swig of ice cold water.

She nodded her head once before glancing out the winter to their dining room. The trees were all bare now, and only one or two birds still hung around, braving out the changing weather. The sky was painted in golden hues of oranges and yellows, due to the early hour, while gray clouds began to come in from the east.

"The last time I saw Ino was back in September, Sakura."

Sakura began to count the days, backtracking exactly when Ino had been over the same time as her mother. Throughout all her years of growing up, Ino was normally attending family dinners, outings, and simple movie nights with both Sakura and her mother. Now all Mebuki would come home to was an empty house and a text from her daughter: _I'll be home late. Studying._

"She was here on Halloween," she responded quietly.

Again, Mebuki nodded once. It was entirely unlike her to push a subject for this long, but then again, a mother's concern was the greatest of all.

The topic was dying down, until her very next question.

"So who's the boy you've been seeing?" She asked with a gentle smile and tired eyes.

Her heart was now soaring, her fingers trembling slightly and her body temperature rising. She couldn't possibly confide in her mother just yet. Sakura promised herself that she would introduce the two of them, not as Sakura's sensei, but something more. Just not right now. Later.

Time was against her the longer she thought about her answer. It was already too long to use her usual excuse of ' _nothing'_ and the moment her mother shifted in her seat, Sakura found her eyes watching the ticking clock behind her mother's golden hair.

"Oh, him? He's nothing special," she lied, but her mother saw right through it. "Not special enough to bring home, yet."

It hurt her to say it, because Sasuke was very special to her. He made he feels things she never felt in her life before, brought laughter and a peace of mind to her.

"If you keep seeing him, someday he'll have to meet your parents," Mebuki reminded her.

Sakura felt her cheeks flush - this was the first time she had ever talked about boys with her mother, other than the simple "He's cute!" or "Look at him!"

This was a matter of getting caught now. They would need to rethink their strategy from now on.

"Got it," Sakura stood from the table and walked her plate to the sink. She began to rinse it off and wash it before rinsing it once more. Her mind was like a whirlwind of thoughts now; would their terms of meeting and hanging out last, or were they on their way to getting caught?

In her furry of overthinking, the plate slipped from her hands, missed landing on the counter and shattered against the java hardwood floors. She didn't feel any sort of anger slip through her mind, she only wanted to cry and scream.

"Sakura!" Mebuki was up and by her side, comforting Sakura's frozen form. "Did any get you?"

She couldn't answer, wouldn't answer. Instead, she began to pick up the pieces with her fingers, her eyes glassy while her body was completely numb. Thoughts of no longer carrying on with her secret relationship tainted her mind, made her feel absolutely angry and scared and exhausted.

"Stop, darling. I'll sweep it up," her mother comforted her, wrapping her arms around her before pulling her away. "Just go get ready for school."

Sakura simply nodded her pretty head before stepping around the glass, careful to avoid the smallest of pieces. Her throat was extremely dry, her eyes burning from tears that threatened to fall, and her body tensed up and uncomfortable.

This was what she signed up for with Sasuke when she confirmed that this was what she wanted. A life of living in secrets, unable to confide in her mother or Ino, Naruto included.

As happy as Sasuke made her, also came a downfall of living in the shadows.

"Only a few more months," Sakura promised herself, promised Sasuke, and all of the people she was close to. "A few more months."

.

.

.

November was turning out to be a dreadful month. Classes were slow, her time spent with Sasuke was kept to a minimum, and her mother had been breathing down her neck.

She felt caged when she began to return home after school. She missed staying late with Sasuke, doing her own thing while he finished up with work, yet they didn't mind the silence that filled the space between the two of them. They worked hand in hand with one another; his quiet, sarcastic side was something that Sakura had taken a liking to.

Whenever she did see Sasuke though, she could see the ghost of a smirk on his lips. Their eyes would meet almost every other five minutes during class, hidden messages passing through obsidian to viridian, and as much as it killed Sakura to remain seated and not jump from her seat, she stayed like a good girl.

Ever since she began her fling with Sasuke, she found that her grades had been higher than ever. She was paying attention to detail more so than not, her studies came easier to her and she felt more determined to get into medical school and prove to everyone that she was working hard and not just goofing off; there was just something about Sasuke that made her determined not to give up.

Sakura set her pen down on her desk and stood from her seat. Sasuke's head lifted only to meet her stare and when she began to walk towards him, he sat back comfortably.

She could only focus on his lips, the way they sat, thin and soft.

With her arm extended, she passed her finished test over towards him and offered a gentle smile, her eyes twinkling with admiration. Sasuke raised a single eyebrow, the corner of his lips raising before she turned on her heel and headed back towards her desk.

A pair of ruby eyes caught her attention; a pale face with eyebrows pulled together, her red hair flaring out wildly on one side; Karin stared her down. Sakura didn't falter at the eye contact, only continued her walk by her until she reached her seat and sat back down. It looked like her classmates were all pretty close to finishing now, but in her spare time, she pulled her folder that held scholarships and left off where she had started.

Her mind felt cluttered lately, but whenever she looked up to give her eyes a break, she caught Sasuke's stare, remembering the way he told her how focused she looked when she would write. Sakura could feel her cheeks dust over with a light pink before looking back down.

Oh, how he still had that effect on her and oh, how she adored those deep, dark eyes of his.

.

.

.

She felt her days begin to blur together, and as much as Sakura hated to admit it, she was beginning to grow exhausted with each passing day of her senior year. It was a constant barrage of school, school wook, avoiding curious eyes and wandering rumors, trying to maintain a breaking friendship with Naruto and Ino, scholarships, and wringing her mind with how her and Sasuke could keep seeing each other.

Ever since their kiss, it felt like everything had began to fall apart and these were the things she thought about late at night. Sakura didn't feel like going out to parties anymore, plus her friends quit inviting her the moment she began to push them to the side and focus on other things.

The music that played through her headphones soothed her anxious mind, but it didn't solve her problems. Finally, her phone vibrated and when her eyes dropped to look at the screen, she felt an instant wave of life wash over her.

 _Come see me._

It was Sasuke with his fake name splayed across the screen. Those simple three words set fireworks launching through her mind, set her body on fire.

 _It's passed two. Shouldn't you be asleep?_

She waited not even a minute, and a message pulled through on her phone.

 _I could ask you the same thing. Come outside._

Sakura frowned before unplugging her headphones and throwing them to the side. She pulled on Sasuke's university hoodie and a pair of winter boots before making her way over to her window. The familiar cars that lined the streets were the only things she could see, but then her eyes landed on Sasuke's familiar black car.

Though she felt her cheeks light up and her eyes widen and her heart began to rush in her chest, she also knew that there would be a time - soon - that they would need to discuss what was transpiring between the two of them.

Instead of standing in her window, gawking at him, she made her way down the stairs - she removed her boots, knowing they would make clonky sounds while making her way down - but the moment she opened the front door, it was like ice and venom biting into her skin.

"Fucking cold," she hissed, her eyes squinting to fight the bitter breeze.

Her feet carried her to Sasuke and the moment she pulled the door open and crawled in, she was greeted by tired eyes and messy hair.

"Hi," she breathed out, taken aback by how handsome he was, especially when he didn't try.

Sasuke didn't respond, only look at her with those tired gray eyes of his. The longer she looked at him, the more she could see the light that had once been lit there, slowly diminish to a flickering flame that threatened to die out at any moment.

"What's wrong?" She asked, one of her knees came to rest against her chest, while she sat on her other leg. The simple furrow of his eyebrows made her lean closer, and when she thought he was going to answer, his hands were on her cheeks, and his lips pressed against hers.

He tasted and felt good against her lips again, and the longer he held her there, the drunker she became off his intoxicating scent. Her heart ached for him, yearned for him; Halloween was their last shared kiss, and now here they were, meeting late in the hour, both tired and hurting.

Sakura felt it through his kiss just how much he needed her, missed her, desired her.

"It's so annoying," he murmured while her lips were still against his. "So fucking annoying."

Sasuke pulled away slightly, but his forehead came to rest against hers, and Sakura fought back the scalding tears that threatened to fall. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, breathing in his smoky scent.

"What's wrong?" She asked quietly in the darkness of his car. His hands still held onto her cheeks, firm but soft, and her hands came to hold his forearms.

It took him a moment to answer, but when he did, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. His thick, black lashes hooding eyes that told stories - stories that were still untold.

She slowly let go of his arms and his hands slid down her cheeks, one completely dropping while the other ran through her messy, pastel tresses.

"You're different," his voice was hoarse and his eyes dropped to watch his fingers twirl through her silk locks.

"I'm just tired," Sakura tried to reason, but she knew Sasuke was smart, smart enough to see through her lies, but he remained quiet as his eyes stared right through her. "I'm okay, though. I really am."

" _Sakura._ "

And there's something about the way he says her name and how his eyes grow intense, like a roaring fire on the mountainside, or how a hurricane demolishes buildings in its wake. He's a force to be reckoned with, and Sakura stands in the eye of the storm.

"I don't want you to get in trouble." She finally admits through sealed lips and eyes that gloss over with tears that won't fall.

"I won't," he responds quickly. Sasuke is smart, witty, he's clever and knows how to work around the system, she comes to realize. He's young and he still has his moments that would look to be childish to the other instructors at the school, but he's mature for his age and he's got that going for him.

"We'll work through it." Sakura knows he means it, because his eyes shimmer with untold promises.

"Then what? What happens after that?" Sakura finds herself asking, her tone firm. It's been something on her mind since November first, and here she is, awaiting the answer.

"We'll find out," he frowns but his gorgeous features never falter.

Sakura nods her head, and leans farther away from him. Her breathing begins to calm down now, and although she still has her concerns, she can trust him.

It was funny, Sakura thought, how a simple crush formed into something more over the course of a couple months. She never considered what would happen from there, but now that they were going to progress forward with this _thing_ between them, she started to think of how things would be after she graduated from school.

"Now what?" She asks from her seat, her knee still pulled to her chest while her arms hug around her leg. Sakura finds that the quiet air had been filled with tension, and although they decided to work through it, there was still something amiss.

Sasuke's smirk kick started her heart and when his eyes reflected the light from the stereo, Sakura frowned slightly. "How long do you have?"

Sakura shrugged, "my mom normally leaves for work around five in morning. Why?"

"We can go somewhere," Sasuke started his car. The low hum of his engine started up, and as he put his car into first gear and started moving, Sakura latched her seatbelt over her chest. Of course, it didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Where?" She asked as he shifted to second gear and the car began to move faster. She noticed that he kept it slow, noting that the roads would probably be icy due to the cold weather.

"You'll see."

Sakura kept her eyes on the road, watching as they drove by familiar houses and the playground she would play at when she was younger. They drove by her old school and Naruto's house, passed the tree they shared their first kiss by, and finally on their way out of town. Sasuke followed the road that led through the hills; the trees bare and grass dead, the greenery that once hid this road was no more.

"Have you ever been up here?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

She watched her surroundings as they kept going, trying to find something familiar that she would notice, but to no avail. "No?"

"Good," he replied, and just with that simple word, she felt chills creep through her body and his ghost of a kiss on her skin. She would never forget that feeling, how close he was, how his lips felt the first time he touched her.

When the car's engine started to grow quiet, Sakura noticed that they were no longer heading up, but the road had leveled out. Now that she realized where exactly they were going, a smile painted itself on her lips.

He had taken her to one of the highest points in Konoha; a perch that looked over the city, but at night, the millions of lights that twinkled under the oncoming winter sky amazed Sakura.

Sasuke parked his car by the guard rail and Sakura simply couldn't pull her eyes from the sight. The downtown part of Konoha was busy, she could tell, but when her eyes scanned towards the outskirts of the town, the lights began to dim. Viridian eyes searched for Sasuke's condo, and when she couldn't find it, they landed on her school.

"It's so pretty," she whispered, mostly to herself, but Sasuke scoffed.

"Have you never seen Konoha at night?"

"Not from up here," she spoke through a dazed state of mind. From yellows, oranges, greens, reds, pinks, to blues, Konoha offered many different lights and the main road that cut straight through the city held multiple cars. "It's so busy."

"It's always busy," Sasuke retorted, and when Sakura glanced at him, she could see the reflections of all the millions lights in his eyes. "It's peaceful up here, especially in the middle of summer."

"Why's that?"

"You'll have to see for yourself," he smirked.

Sakura shook her head before settling back and watching the busy road that held cars of all types, and watching lights either flicker on or off. The sky remained black throughout the night, and although she knew she should be at home and in bed, this was much better than a night filled with overthinking and restless sleep.

Time spent with Sasuke should've been forbidden, but they took it as a challenge, and together, they agreed that they would get around it.

"Hey, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"Will you teach me how to drive your car?"

A long pause, until he finally groaned, "maybe."


	11. eleven

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update all weekend, I wasn't home. Anyways, I'd like to say that this story is strictly from Sakura's POV. Aaaanddd, there's a reason why she's losing all her friends, and her relationship with her mother is getting rocky, but all shall be explained later on in the story!_

 _Thank you for all the reviews, follows, favorites, and messages! I seriously appreciate it. I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think._

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

* * *

She felt her patience growing thin and her eyes rolling more than usual throughout the night. Sakura was always well behaved and attentive to her mother's feelings, but tonight of all nights, she couldn't stand the woman.

Maybe it was because her father hadn't been home in months, or because her family that visited that night had been nothing more than rude, _or maybe_ it was because Mebuki had been picking and prying at Sakura for information on her whereabouts and if she had been seeing 'the boy' again.

She rolled her eyes, stood from her seat - ignoring all the confused and bewildered eyes - and walked away from her family. She had had enough, and now she would going to spend the rest of her night in her room.

"Sakura, come down here, _now_ ," Mebuki's voice called from the bottom of the stairs.

She snickered to herself, her emerald green eyes watching exactly where she was going, and slammed the door shut behind her. A flurry of emotions bombarded her mind, tears stinging the corners of her eyes while her hands balled into fists.

It was Wednesday night, she didn't have school tomorrow, or Friday, and the last thing she wanted, was to be cooped up in her house with no interaction with Sasuke. November was well on its way to being over, and she could feel her time running out with Sasuke. Her subconscious reminded her daily that they would, in fact, get caught.

Instead of curling up in a ball in her bed, she threw her windows open, letting them slam against the siding of her house and allowing the brisk air into her room. The breeze picked up the ends of her pastel locks, blowing them back away from her face, all while she inhaled the chilly air.

When her viridian eyes opened, she glanced down at the ground below her.

"It's snowing," she whispered, catching sight of the twinkling flakes that held on to the dead grass and concrete walkway.

While thoughts processed through her head, she had never had the nerves to actually think about sneaking out of her house - from her window. The roofing that covered their front porch was right at her window, and if she stepped carefully along the tiles, she could make it down the ground with ease.

Instead of considering the idea, she walked away from her window, grabbed her winter boots and her jacket and began her adventure down the house - but before she got too far down, she hustled back to her room and locked the door.

Sakura maneuvered down the tiles and the siding almost perfectly, until it came time to hop down the side of the house and into the bark that surrounded her home. She knew the jump was roughly nine feet, and due to the cold weather, her feet would sting once she landed on the frozen, hard ground; she took her chances and launched from the roof, only to land with a thud and a slight stumble.

She turned to look at her accomplishment, and with her tongue sticking out and a thumbs down pointed at her house, she began a short jog down the street. Multiple cars lined the road, family members of her neighbors had been visiting, but Sakura didn't feel bad. She could hear the laughter and the cheers, some TV's volume had been cranked, and the farther she walked, the colder she began to grow.

Her fingers found the familiar shape of her phone, and within seconds, she held it to her ear and waited for his voice to answer.

 _"Good evening,"_ he answered smoothly. Sakura felt her heart beat quickly, her blood running hot.

She regained her composure. "What're you up to?"

 _"Just getting home, why?"_

"I'm on my way over."

There was a long pause and Sakura could hear the blood in her body flowing through her ears, making her cheeks hot and her teeth clench. Say something, she thought.

 _"You said you were going to be with family tonight. What's going on-"_

She cut him off, something she knew she shouldn't do, but Sasuke would ask a million questions otherwise. "I'm not staying there with them. If you don't want me to come over, I'll just go to the library or something."

A short sigh and - _"where are you?"_

"At the school," she answered with a shiver.

 _"Give me a few minutes, I'll be right there."_

She could hear his tone changed drastically, her heart dropping to her stomach. The last time he told her to stay put, she began wandering. This time, she decided she would stay put.

"Okay, Sasuke…" She trailed off, hot tears streaming down her cheeks in the cold grasp of winter.

The dinging of his car began to go off in the background of his side, and soon she could hear his car's engine hum to life. Suddenly, the call ended and she sat alone, on the stairs in front of her school with the phone to her ear. She sniffled before wiping the tears away and frowning at the lights that lit up the stairs.

It began to snow again, and while Sakura sat huddled up, waiting for her hero to save her - yet again - she watched the flakes fall with ease. It was almost unsettling how quiet it was when it snowed in Konoha, but then again, it was also one of the most peaceful things she had ever encountered.

She pulled her hood up over her head and leaned back against the concrete stairs. The snow fell all around her, on her face, her bundled up body, and she felt nothing more than at peace finally. Why did her life have to come crashing down so suddenly? Why was senior year so stressful? Where had her friends gone? Where was she going? What path was she taking?

"Sakura." His voice pulled her from her thoughts, nabbing her from the grasp of anxiety that pulled at her stomach, her mind.

She shot up, her eyes finding his figure hanging out of his car; ruffled and messy hair looking perfectly imperfect, while he wore a sweatshirt and sweats. "What are you doing lying down?"

"Just waiting," she hummed before skipping towards him. The familiar door handle under her hand soothed her aching mind, and the way the warmth of his car wrapping around her soul brought her back to earth.

Sasuke shivered after crawling back inside his car, his hand reaching for the knob and turning the fans up.

"Are you sweating?" Sakura asked the moment she looked at him. He responded with a simple frown before turning back and pushing his car into first gear.

"... yes."

"Are you okay-"

"I was working out," he snapped almost instantly. She could see the apologetic look in his eyes after suddenly lashing out, but she shrugged it off and looked outside her window.

They were no longer in the parking lot, but driving down the road in silence. Sakura could feel the tension in the car, and as much as she wanted to get out and walk somewhere else, she continued to brood from her side of the car.

"I miss my dad," she finally started. The lump that formed in her throat could've choked her, but she swallowed it down and resisted the tears that wanted to fall. Tonight had been one hell of a night for her, emotionally.

Sasuke pulled up at their first stop light and waited for it to turn green. He didn't say anything, only sat in silence, waiting for her to say more. Sakura wasn't sure what to say, but she pulled her knees to her chest and closed her eyes.

"He hasn't been home since May," she spoke quietly into her knees. "I love my mom to the moon and back, but lately she's been uptight and not the same."

It was like her life was slowly falling apart, piece by piece, and the only sort of happiness she found was with Sasuke. Even that was a part of her life that would eventually fall, considering the dangerous game they had been playing lately. She leaned her head back against the headrest and felt her eyes begin to sting again. Slowly but surely, the streams of tears began to roll over her cheekbones and fall to the fabric of her winter jacket.

Sakura had his attention now, the tension in the car melting instantly. He pulled off the main road, parked his car and unbuckled his seatbelt. Sakura frowned at his movements, and when he got out and walked around the front and to her side, the tears fell harder. Sasuke pulled her door open and leaned in, unbuckled her seatbelt and slid her out from the confines of the car.

"What are you doing-" she asked from in between sobs. "I can walk home from here."

" _Sakura_ ," his voice warned, and she hadn't noticed how much she missed hearing him, considering she had put him in a bad mood. "Stop."

Sakura became quiet, her eyes on the snowy ground before her and the pair of sweats that Sasuke had on. Her hands balled into fists, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. Why was everything spiralling out of control?

His warm hand came to rest on her chin, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. His eyes were tired, holding sadness and an anger that hid underneath the black in his eyes. Sakura didn't speak, she only waitedwaitedwaited, until finally his lips pressed to her forehead and she could feel the world stop around her.

The cold snow that fell around them melted, seizing the falling temperature do the night air, and the city streets became quiet, the cars that resided on the streets moved no more, and Sakura could only see Sasuke in her evergreen eyes.

"Don't keep these emotions bottled up." She could hear the serious tone in his voice, picked up on the way he still held her chin and stayed close to her. He wanted to scold her, tell her not to do something, but knowing damn well that she would do it anyways.

Sakura nodded before leaning towards him, resting her head on his chest and her arms wrapped around his back. His body was becoming familiar to her; each toned muscle and each curve of his body. Like a map, she was learning and she was wanting to make memories all over his body.

With their night passing by quickly, she began to feel exhausted once her tears were wiped clean from her face and she got back in the car with Sasuke. "Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Not really." Because she had been eating dinner with her mother and family before they rudely pushed her away with their constant questions and constant insults, constant nagging and constant glares. She frowned at the thought. "Ice cream sounds good, though."

Sasuke's head turned towards her, his dreamy eyes finding her and a ghost of a smirk lifting at the corner of his lips. "You are aware it's snowing out and it's cold, right?"

"So?" Sakura answered with a sweet smile.

He sighs before shaking his head and looking forward. He turns his car down a street - Sakura doesn't see the name - and pulls into a parking lot that she's never been to before. The place that they're parked at now looks plain, a small building with unnatural light flooding through the windows. It's bright and spirit lifting, and the moment Sakura steps from the car, she can smell the sweet scent riding along the winter breeze.

"Do you want any?" Sakura asks before closing the door behind her.

He simply shakes his head before she shuts the door and skips inside. There's a couple employees behind the counter that greet her with a smile, and one that's mopping the floors by the tables they have. Her eyes find the glass that cases all the many flavors of ice cream, and when she finds the kind she's looking for, an ear to ear grin spreads wildly.

"Two scoops of pistachio almond on a waffle cone, please!"

It only takes a minute for the employee to get her ice cream ready, but when it is, she takes one solid swipe with her tongue and lets the sweet taste melt in her mouth. Sakura pays before walking out the door, and when she sees Sasuke's car - waiting for her - she feels her heart beat a little faster and her feet carry her towards him.

"What'd you get?" He asks as she steps inside and sits down.

"Only the best," she smiles and takes another lick. Sasuke only shakes his head before a soft smile makes its presence known. "Pistachio almond."

"Feel better?" He asks, his voice shallow and eyes intent on watching her eat her ice cream.

Sakura nods her head in response and continues licking away at it.

"Good. Don't make a mess," his sarcastic tone makes her smile again, and before she knows it, they're pulling out of the parking lot and moving down the road with the rest of the cars that take up the road.

She feels safe with him, happy, free, and when he pulls into the parking lot at the building that he lives at, she felt a wave of ecstasy wash over her body and fill her with excitement. Spending time with Sasuke has gotten easier, and while she follows him through the building doors and up to the elevator, her phone vibrates.

Sakura's fingers fish the phone from her pocket, and she feels a little bit of happiness mixed with sadness course through her body. A text from Ino.

 _Where are you? Your mom just called and asked if you were here._

She shoves the phone back in her pocket, walks onto the elevator and waits for the doors to close behind her. Sasuke slouches next to her, his hair a wild mess while his face is covered in sweat and dirt. He looks tired, Sakura notices, and when he's under the light of the elevator, she can see the lavender bags that perch under his eyes.

"If you're tired, I can go-"

His obsidian eyes shoot to her, his lips pressed in a firm line, while the single word "no," presses out. Sakura nods and the elevator dings once they've reached his floor. Sakura knows where to go, knows his room number and just how clean his condo will be. She knows more about Sasuke as time passes on, and when they reach his door and he pushes it open, she walks inside and inhales the air.

A wave of nostalgia crosses over her, reminding her of the first time she had been here with him. His hand reaches around her back, landing on her hip while he walks by her, his smirk as gorgeous as ever and eyes as dark as night glance back at her.

"I'm going to shower now," he speaks in a hoarse voice. Sakura nods her head before taking a seat on his sofa and flicking the television on. Her viridian eyes watch the characters on screen, and when she pulls her phone from her pocket once more, there's a text from Naruto.

 _Hey. Where ya at?_

Sakura knows that her mother called him, because he wouldn't be texting her out of the blue, and ask her where she was. The last time she had even texted Ino or Naruto had been weeks ago. Before she can place her phone back in her pocket, her mother is calling.

It pulls at Sakura's heart, but she silences the vibrating and puts her phone on the armrest of the couch. She can hear that Sasuke's shower is done, and he ruffles around from down the hallway. When he emerges, her heart beats quickly, a little too painfully, and her eyes fall on his chiseled pectorals. He's shirtless, a different pair of sweats clinging to his hips while his hair is damp and messier than ever.

His skin looks better, his eyes still holding onto exhaustion while he leans against the wall. "What're you watching?"

Sakura swallows hard before her wide, evergreen eyes flash to the TV screen and back to him, scared that he'll vanish if she doesn't keep an eye on him. Her blood runs hot through her body now, and she can feel the burning sensation in her cheeks.

"Not sure," she spits out. "Just waiting for you to get done."

"Hn," he replies with a soft smirk. He looks entirely inviting in the way he stands, and when he crossed his arms over his chest, Sakura finds his biceps raise and she wants to touch them, feel his soft, showered skin against her own.

Her breaths come out short but fast, and when he walks towards her and sits next to her, an overpowering wave of cinnamon and smoke clashes and she's left drunk on his scent. Her phone begins to vibrate once more, but she silences it and turns it off.

"Who's that?" His question sounds over the sound of the television, and Sakura scoffs.

"Nobody."

.

.

.

It's one in the morning by the time Sasuke falls asleep next to her. He had pulled her over to him, her head resting on his shoulder while his arm wrapped around her waist. Sasuke held her close, and Sakura enjoyed being that close to him.

They spoke quietly throughout the movie he had put on, a small kiss here and there, but ultimately, they sat embraced in one another's arms.

It was dark, despite the low glow from the rolling credits, but as Sakura reached for the remote to flick the TV off, Sasuke's hand caught hers.

"Are you staying the night?" He asked in a groggy, exhausted voice.

Sakura thinks about her answer before nodding her head. "If you want me to."

He doesn't answer her directly, but his arm around her tightens and pulls her closer. Her smile grows, and her face nuzzles into the crook of his neck.

She falls asleep in his arms, and him under her body. When Sakura wakes up at six the following morning, light floods in from the windows and Sasuke is still holding onto her. His breaths are long and drawn out, his chest rising and falling slowly and Sakura can't help but feel her heart fall for him.


	12. twelve

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Lemme know what you think, and thanks for taking the time to read. :) find me on tumblr at **roraewrites** because I update on there first. _

* * *

**Chapter 12**

* * *

Sakura's eyes scanned through the texts that Naruto and Ino had spammed her with overnight. The few voicemails that her mom had left her tore her heart from her chest, made tears brim her eyes and her fists clench.

She was angry with her mom, why should she care? Sakura shook the idea from her mind and went back to the next text that came in from Ino.

 _Are you with that guy that I saw you with on Halloween?_

She bit her lip and frowned. Sasuke was still asleep next to her, but when she began to shuffle out from under his grip, his eyes stirred awake.

"What?" He moaned.

"I'll be back," Sakura whispered to him in a reassuring tone. He closed his eyes and settled back into the couch, his arms crossed and his eyebrows furrowed.

It was now seven-thirty in the morning when her phone started dialing Ino's number, the ring lasting longer each time, but when the blonde picked up, Sakura could hear the panic in her voice.

 _"Fucking kidding me?! Where are you?!"_ Her shrill shout was more than what Sakura needed this early in the morning, considering she didn't sleep much.

"Shut the hell up, Ino." Sakura's hissed into the phone. She closed the door behind her and sat on the counter of Sasuke's bathroom. Her fingers smoothed some of her wild pieces of hair down, while her viridian eyes flashed to the smeared mascara under her eyes. "I needed to get away for a night-"

 _"So you run off and don't tell anyone? And to make matters worse, turn your phone off?"_ Ino's tone was firm, but Sakura could hear the cracking of her voice behind it. _"You idiot! Damn idiot."_

Ino was crying now and Sakura felt horrible. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone like that; her emotions outweighed everything else, and she just didn't care.

"Ino?" She says softly into the phone, her own tears starting to fall lightly down her cheeks. The only sound that came back from Ino's side is a small sniffle, and finally a sob.

 _"We thought someone kidnapped you. I thought you were gone, Sakura! You didn't answer anyone, your mother is worried, Naruto is scared shitless. We all thought you were gone for good and there was nothing anyone could do."_

Her words tore her down, ripped her spirit apart, demolished her soul. Sakura finally let out an uncontrolled sob and let the tears flow. How could she have been so selfish?

"I'm so sorry," she breathes and Ino quiets down instantly. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

Sakura waits a moment while Ino gains composure, and when she does, she heard the light hearted giggle from her best friend. _"I miss you,"_ she says, and Sakura feels her heart throb and her throat well up.

Sakura misses her best friend too, and she misses Naruto and her mother and her father, but she also has her sights on her goals.

"I miss you, too." Sakura responds, and she means it. She's no longer crying in Sasuke's bathroom, but dabbing the running makeup from her face and smiling softly while she rubs tears from her face.

As they talk over the phone for another hour, Ino finally popped the question. _"Who is he?"_

Sakura choked before thinking about how to answer her question honestly. She wasn't sure what to say, but she decided that something was better than her usual 'nothing.'

"You'll meet him someday," she says softly, and she can hear the promise in her voice and the hum of Ino on the other side.

 _"I'll hold you to it, Forehead."_ And it's just the way she says Sakura's endearing nickname that makes her smile, and she knows that their conversation is over now. She'll see Ino at school come Monday, and she'll text Naruto to apologize for disappearing too.

She thought about her mother, though, and what she was going to say to her. Sorry for disappearing and ignoring all your calls. It sounded cheesy, and she needed to apologize in person, cause a mother's worry is pure and raw.

"Sakura?"

She jumped at his voice and hung up the phone. With the remainder of her makeup wiped from her face and her hair smoothed down, she opened the door and found Sasuke perched in front of her with sleepy eyes and a pair of sweats that had wrinkles from sleeping.

"What're your plans today?" He inquires, his hand coming to run through his hair, revealing two eyes that shimmered with silver flecks and high hopes.

"Not sure," she answered. She felt breathless standing in front of this gorgeous human, and as he slouched down on one leg, he flashed her a smile that showed his perfect, white teeth.

"I need to get my Christmas shopping done before it's too hectic. Care to join?"

She feels her heart plummet to the pit of her stomach, her evergreen eyes widen with disbelief and her mouth drops open.

"Really?" She breathes out.

"Really, really." He replies with a sarcastic tone and a smirk. Sakura nods her head with as much happiness as she can muster up, and when they agree to leave after they eat and get ready, she's aware that she only has one set of clothing.

Sasuke's low hum catches her attention after stating the obvious, and he disappears down the hall. "One minute."

He's back with a shirt and a pair of jeans; black, washed out jeans and a maroon long sleeved shirt. She frowns slightly before eyeing him. He raises an eyebrow before chuckling.

"They're my mother's."

And she feels silly for acting childish, but she reaches her hand out and grabs the clothing from his hands.

.

.

.

After a breakfast of eggs with toast and a splash of orange juice, Sasuke disappears to his room while Sakura pulls his mother's clothing over her body. They fit, surprisingly, and she twirls in front of the mirror. Her hair is braided down the side of her head, wraps around and comes to rest on her shoulder. The ends of her pink, wavy hair tickles, but she smiles at her reflection.

When she walks out of the bathroom, she waits at the door for Sasuke; her boots, hat, gloves and jacket all wrapped up on her and bundling her up.

"You look warm," he states softly before emerging from his bedroom. He had his own jacket on, a pair of gloves, but no hat. His hair splayed in every which direction, some pieces even hanging down in his face as he joined her by the door. He's wearing a pair of slim jeans along with the sweater that pokes out of his jacket, and slides his shoes on over his feet and takes a look at Sakura.

She can see his parted lips, shimmering dark eyes that hold interest, and when he bends down, she meets him halfway and their lips touch in unison. "Ready?" He breaks away before opening the door for her.

"Yep!" She chirps happily before walking out before him.

The elevator ride is short lived, and when she steps off, she sees that outside now holds a couple inches of snow and gray clouds.

It's beautiful.

The snow crunched under her boots and she smiles through the cold weather and falling flakes. Her core is a furnace, raging on due to Sasuke's thawing kiss and warm hand in her own. They walk together towards the parking lot, and he opens her door before she slides in and waits for him.

"Where are we going?" She asks.

Sasuke doesn't look at her, only smiles before flicking his windshield wipers on and removes the snow from the windshield. It moves with ease and he puts his car in reverse. "You'll see." His voice held promise as he shifted his car into first and drives smoothly out of the parking lot.

He leaves Konoha in his rearview mirrors. They're on the freeway, heading south and Sakura watches as he passes cars with ease, maneuvering over the ice covered freeway. Snow still fell from the sky - slowly but with grace - and Sakura's jade eyes watched as they came up and over the hood of his black car. It was always heartwarming when it snowed, and she lovedlovedloved winter.

"Do I get any hints?" Sakura finally piped up from her side of the car, amusement dancing on her face while she pursed her lips with hope.

"No," his response is short, but his eyes adore the way she looks at him.

His blinker turned on a second later and they exit the freeway, turning right after the stop light. Old Konoha was where he was taking her, and Sakura's smile lit up like the lights that decorated the many stores they began to encounter.

This part of the city had been changed into more of a tourist part of town, but either way, Sakura loved coming here during the holidays. The city always decorated the trees is different colored lights, while the buildings hung lights, reefs, garland and whatever Christmas stuff they could fit.

Along the main stretch through town, the buildings had no space between one another, the sidewalks were _always_ packed with people, and the streets were filled with cars coming and going through town. The thing that Sakura favored the most about Old Konoha was the sight of the mountains that surrounded the western side. A ski resort sat at the base, holding one of the more popular areas to spend a day in the powder.

They were tall and jagged towards the middle, while the outsides rounded off and became mellow, but they always held snow and adventures; she promised herself that she'd go up there someday and either try her hand - or feet - at snowboarding or skiing.

Sasuke pulled into a parking lot after a few minutes of driving and paid the parking fee. His engine died down once he parked the car and turned it off, shoving the ticket up onto his dashboard and exiting the car.

"I love it here," Sakura yelled the moment she got out. She could hear Christmas music playing down the road, and when Sasuke glanced at her with those dark, mysterious eyes of his, she felt her cheeks paint over with red.

"Why don't you move here?"

"Too expensive." She waved his question off with a flick of her wrist and began to walk around towards his side of the car. "Where to first?!"

"Hn," he nodded before turning and taking a look down the street. "I guess we'll window shop until we find something."

Sakura nodded before meeting his long strides with her short legs. Sasuke kept his hands in his pockets as they walked, his eyes scanning the many windows that lined the streets. Sakura found everything cute and amusing - her younger side showing through the woman she strived to be when she was around Sasuke.

When she felt her face run into his shoulder blade, she let out a small 'umph' and felt her cheeks heat up the moment he glanced back at her.

"We'll go here first." Sasuke smirked before reaching back and wrapping his fingers around the palm of her hand and towing her in. She grinned, loving the way the lights looked against the hardwood floors, and how the inner walls were lined with brick and how old school the entire store looked.

Cheerful music played from the speakers overhead and when Sakura inhaled deeply, she felt a bombardment of different scents and flavors blast her in the face. From pine needles to sugar cookies, toasted marshmallows to cinnamon apples, she breathed in all the Christmas scents and eyed all the different colors of candles.

"My mom loves candles," he began to explain, his eyes flashing over the different shelves and arrangements that the little tables had to offer. "I get her one every year, kind of like our little thing, I guess."

Sakura looked at Sasuke with adoring eyes and a soft smile. She noticed the red in his cheeks when he looked away from her, and when he found something he liked, he walked away. Sakura let him browse while she picked up every other candle and held it to her nose, inhaling the many different mouth watering scents.

Almost five minutes later, he appeared by her side with a bag in hand and a smirk on his face. "You done yet?"

Sakura laughed under his gaze and nodded. She felt unbelievably happy - either from Sasuke's uplifting mood or from her cheerful surroundings, she felt amazing. Her feet carried her behind Sasuke and on to the next store. From outside, she could smell the sweets that resided at the end of the block, from one of her favorite stores.

"Have you ever been to Konan's?" Sakura asked from behind him and when he peers back at her, he nodded his head.

"Itachi loves it there," he stated with a monotone voice.

Sakura raised an eyebrow as she followed his footsteps through the snow. She didn't push the subject, taking note of his annoyed tone and sudden cold attitude. She shrugs it off as they approach Konan's, and to her surprise, Sasuke enters the lilac colored building and holds the door open for Sakura.

Sugar, spices, sweetness, mouthwatering food and everything else hits Sakura, and much like the candle store, her eyes travel everywhere. It's filled to the brim with people, and Sasuke is now right up on her.

It takes her awhile to find what she was looking for, but when she does, she grabs a couple of bags. "Mom loves these." Her eyes focus in on Sasuke, who has a look of annoyance on his face.

"You okay?" Sakura asks with a frown as she shoves the bags of cookies into one arm and began to make her way toward the counter.

Sasuke nods, keeping as close as possible to Sakura. "A lot of people."

A smile graced Sakura's lips when she noticed just how uncomfortable he was, and instead of staying and browsing for more sweets and baked goods, she made her way towards the counter and waited in line.

It took all of five minutes to pay and leave, and the moment they exited, she could see the tension and awkwardness melt from his face, and his body began to relax. Cheerful music flooded her ears as they walked down the street once more.

His hand brushed against Sakura's as she walked next to him, and instead of backing off, she stood her ground. When her eyes glanced up at him, she noticed that mesmerizing smile on his lips and desirable look in his eyes.

Slowly but surely, he intertwined his fingers with hers, lacing them together loosely, but enough for Sakura to hold onto him and follow through the crowd. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest, her blood running crazy in her body - his touch always had such an affect on her, and the more they touched each other, the more she fell for him.

She was absolutely drawn to him.

When he pulled on her hand, her body came to meet his on the side of the street, and she followed him inside of a building that smelled of wood and leather. Guns lined the wall, while glass cases held knives and pistols.

"Hello." An older gentleman at the counter greeted, his white hair and facial hair mirroring the color of snow. Sasuke nodded his greeting before browsing through the store. His fingers still held onto Sakura's, and when he finally stopped, she peered into the glass case they stood in front of.

"That one is pretty," she pointed at knife that was colored in pink and Sasuke scoffed.

"I don't think my brother would be too fond of the colors," he joked with a husky voice and smoldering eyes. Sakura felt a magnetic pull in her stomach, her need to press her lips to his, run her fingers through his hair and feel his body pressed against hers.

When he looked away and back down at the case, Sakura felt her lips purse and her eyes wander. When Sasuke began to move to their left, she followed closely behind, but after a moment of letting her eyes wander, she felt a heart shattering pain in her chest and a lump appear in her throat.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes narrowed, her fingers detaching themselves from Sasuke's, and when he glanced at her, she felt nothing more than anger course through her body. Her breathing became hard, her chest rising and falling quickly while she felt her lips pull back into a sneer.

In front of her stood a man with unnatural colored hair, pushed and pulled back in a messy manner much like Sasuke's. His eyes reflected Sakura's; green as grass, light as emeralds, fresh like an evergreen.

"Sakura?" He asked again, but this time he approached her one step at a time.

Sakura stood her ground in the store, Sasuke on her right and when the man stopped just in front of her, she felt the tears push their way through and surround her eyes.

 _"Dad."_


	13. thirteen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _hellooo and thank you for all the reviews/likes/follows! i really do appreciate it and i appreciate all of you for taking the time to read this. it makes my heart happy and gives me the motivation to keep writing._

 _anyways, i'd like to state that yes, sakura missed her dad. but she's also pissed that she found him so close to town and he hasn't called or even tried to get ahold or communicate. soooo, here ya go, hope ya enjoy._

 _let me know what you think!_

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

* * *

Sakura felt her anger spiralling out of control the moment they walked out of the store. Sasuke fell in tow behind her, his eyes never looking away from the ground while her father invited them for a cup of hot chocolate and a moment to talk.

Here they sat, Sakura across the table from her dad while Sasuke offered to get drinks. Sakura had noticed how stiff his body had gotten and the darkening look in his eyes when he glanced over at the man that stood before Sakura.

Now she sat there, her emerald eyes blazing wild while she stared her father down - he sat perfectly still, his fingers intertwined on the table and a soft smile on his face.

"How have you been?" He asked after moments of silence.

Sakura inhaled - the scent of strong coffee and glazed donuts invading her sinuses - and exhaled before closing her eyes for a brief moment and forcing a smile on her face.

" _Peachy._ "

It was a word she had picked up from Sasuke, and when she opened her eyes, the gentle look in her father's bluish-green eyes made her feel powerful and in control.

"Here," Sasuke spoke a minute later before placing red cups with whites swirls down onto the table. Kizashi's eyes darted to Sasuke's face, the brows of her father furrowed.

"What?" Sakura snapped, her blood boiling. She could feel herself being angry and nasty with her father, but he deserved every bit of it. He had been gone for seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, _months_. And here he is, in Old Konoha shopping for guns, or whatever else he was looking at.

"Nothing, sweetie." The lines on his face eased and he took a small sip of his drink.

Sakura trembled at the sound of the endearing term her father always used. It made memories of a past long gone; her wandering down the street with her father while they window shopped in this very same town.

"So," his voice started back up, yet his blues eyes flashed to Sasuke who looked out the window. "What grade you in? Or are you in college?"

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up almost instantly, and if she had ever seen Sasuke look so uncomfortable in his life, it would be now. His cup touched his lips once more, before the Uchiha cleared his throat and found teal eyes staring through him.

 _This **couldn't** be happening._

"Graduated last year."

Sakura's mouth dropped, she couldn't believe what Sasuke was saying, but her father seemed to have believed it.

"Hm," a low hum sounded from the pit of her dad's throat, but the look in his eyes didn't go unnoticed. "Very well then."

When Sakura glanced over at Sasuke, he had his cup in his hands and his dark, dark eyes on her. A smirk played on his lips, but he glanced back towards her father before sighing.

"What do you do for work, Mr. Haruno?"

Sakura frowned now, her eyes shooting back to her father where she found a look of both surprise and shock. Her father's lips parted, eyes widening and a short, cut off sound escaped his throat while he gawked on Sasuke's question.

"I work out of the country."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded his head before taking a sip of his drink and landing his soot eyes on Kizashi once more. "Where? Sorry for the questions. I'm just interested, curious."

Those light, light eyebrows on her father furrowed before he nodded, a toothy grin playing on his face. "I take care of the business side of the company I work for. Therefore, it entails a lot of traveling and it's hard to make it home. But I've managed to make it home, and I was going to surprise my dear family-" he glanced to Sakura, who now glared back "-but it seems Sakura found me before I could make it there."

"Ah," Sasuke exhaled. "Very well then."

She could pick up on his mocking tone and disinterested eyes, and when he brought his cup to his lips one last time, he placed it on the table, an empty echo sounding from the red cup.

"How has school been, sweetie?" Those gentle, daring eyes of his glanced back to his daughter now and Sakura could feel her blood boil under his gaze. Why did he care? She missed him with all her heart, and he was back in Konoha - close enough - and didn't even stop by, or call.

"Fine," she answered shortly. The tension began to swim down the back of her neck and wrap around her throat. She hated this, hated that her father stopped in unannounced. Regardless of her father, memories of leaving her house last night swooped through and tightened the grip of tension.

She needed to go home and apologize to her mother.

"While this is fun and all, we need to get going. We have stuff to do. Probably go see mom," she emphasized the word and shot him a dirty glare. Her father's eyes became soft, his facial expression dropped as Sakura began to shuffle out of her seat with Sasuke following in hot pursuit.

"I guess," her mutters before standing from his seat, his cup in his hand and offering a kind smile at his daughter. "I'll see you at home tonight, sweetie." His steps toward her set her on edge, and when Sakura took a step away, he stopped.

"I'll see you at home."

Her father nodded, his light, messy hair moving with each sway of his head, and when his blue eyes glanced over at Sasuke, the furrow in his brow didn't go unnoticed. "Will you be there tonight?"

"No." Sasuke's answer was quick, raising suspicion in Kizashi's eyes and an arched brow. "I have other things going on."

"Right."

Sakura frowned now. Her cheeks began to burn from the blush that dusted over her round cheeks, and when she tugged on Sasuke's jacket, they began to walk out of the shop. Winter's cold breeze brushed over her revealed face, but Sakura kept pushing on. Sasuke remained behind her, and when Sakura glanced to him, she could see anger shimmering in his eyes.

"That was odd," Sakura muttered under her breath and Sasuke glanced down to her with a raised eyebrow. "Why did you tell him you graduated?"

"I didn't specify what I graduated from," he replied with a smirk. Sakura felt a whirl of butterflies flock through her stomach, and when she looked back down to the icy sidewalk, his hand grabbed hers and their fingers intertwined almost immediately.

"You're angry." He states, and Sakura doesn't deny it.

Of course she's angry; her father has been gone since May, yet here he is, shopping probably for himself in an old town all too close to where her and her mother live. She huffs, frowns, and looks back up to Sasuke, who's looks at her with concerned eyes and pressed lips.

Sakura only shakes her head before Sasuke pulls her in, his arm around her shoulders and his smirk all too real. "What're your plans tonight?"

Sakura swallowed hard before she bit down on her lower lip. There's a look in his dark eyes that sends chills throughout her body and sets her mind on edge. He's handsome in this dark, mysterious way, and when she doesn't answer immediately, his eyebrow raises in question.

"I'm not sure. I need to see my mom, though." Her fingers on her open hand tremble and her heart stutters. "Maybe we can do something before then," Sakura offered with a small smile.

"Hn," his grunted agreement makes her smile bigger, the corners of her lips touch her eyes and she's giddy and happy all over again.

.

.

.

Sakura steps into his condo with her cookies in her hands and her eyes on the counter in the kitchen. The weather outside had taken a turn for the worst, and snow falls heavily while the cold winter breeze whips the flakes in a flurry.

It's quiet, and Sakura only turns to realize that Sasuke's coat is off, his sweater is removed, and he's standing in front of her with a plain white tee and his eyes on her. Sakura smiles, her eyes shimmering with wonder as she removed her jacket and her boots.

Sasuke has that handsome, alluring smirk on his lips and the closer he gets, the harder it is to resist his magnetic pull. His strong hands find her hips, his lips pressing to the crown of her head while he walks her backwards, through the dining room, the front room, and to his bedroom.

"What're we doing?" Her question rings out loud, but Sasuke's lips find her bare neck and her breath runs short.

"Do you trust me?" His breath fans over her neck and while she can feel her eyes widen, she nods her head into his embrace and keeps walking backwards. When she feels the edge of his bed touch the back of her knees, her heart stops and she can hardly breathe.

Her eyes are tired, her mind running wild with a crazy imagination, and when his calloused hands guide her to the bed, she sits and her eyes look to him. He's all smirk and dark eyes; perfect skin and messy hair.

Sakura feels her back hit the bed and her heart beats rapidly, anxiety coursing through her body. She feels heat radiating from in between her legs when Sasuke crawls on the bed next to her and lies down, her head turns and her eyes greet his.

He's gorgeous in every way possible, even his flaws are perfect and Sakura adores each and every one.

Her lips part, and her breath hitches once more. "What are we doing?"

A blush dusts over his aristocratic features and he smirks once more, his pearly white teeth showing from behind thin lips. "Relaxing."

But Sakura feels everything other than relaxing. She's nervous, excited, wired, curious, her heart beating wildly, and she can't relax. His lips are on hers and Sakura can't remember when he had gotten so close, but this kiss is all too real and her eyes close like his and she can feel his tongue gently touch her lips.

She had allowed his tongue inside her mouth, the feeling entirely different, but it encouraged her to open up and let him in - literally. Between both of their heavy breathing and her hands grabbing onto the white fabric of his shirt, she doesn't realize that his hand now cups her chin and he's got her pinned to the bed now; his body on top of hers, yet his free arm holds his weight so he doesn't crush her.

When he pulls away from their kiss and stares her in the eyes, her lips pull into a gentle smile and all her worries melt. He's perfect, he's what she wants, he's what she needs - but this isn't the right time and if she carries on with what's transpired between the two of them, bad things will happen.

"What?" His tone is concerned and soft, his eyes grow gentle. His smirk had disappeared from his lips.

Sakura takes a moment to process what exactly had happened; his lips on hers, their tongues against one another, and now he's on top of her, his chest pressed to her while his eyes are only inches away, staring at her with passion and desire.

She breathes out, "I don't think I'm ready."

His raised eyebrow from earlier returns, a flash of sadness making its way through, but he instantly nods and rolls off of her. His lips come to the crook of her neck, and as much as she wants to press her lips to his, feel his tongue against hers and invite him back to where he was once perched, she remained quiet.

"I understand," his mutter fans against her neck, then his lips press reassuring kisses to her clavicle.

Goosebumps are everywhere, ice and fire battling throughout her bloodstream and now she's got her mind tied in knots and butterflies brushes their wings against her stomach.

His lips pull away and Sakura feels a frown on her face within seconds. "Don't you need to see your mom?"

Panic crosses over her face and it's apparent that Sasuke sees it.

"Shit! Yes." She's got her body sitting up and her hair's a mess. "Do you mind?" She asked with a sweet smile, her eyelashes fluttering.

Sasuke leans up too, his hand resting on her thigh and Sakura's eyes dart down to the sudden contact. Heat runs from his hand, right to _that_ spot and she wanted to melt from his touch, but it feels so damn _good_. "Sure thing." His voice is laced with a seductive tone, and before he can get up, Sakura's hand comes to the collar of his shirt and she pulled him in to meet her lips.

"Thank you," she mumbled from underneath his lips, and she can feel his smirk.

.

.

.

It's dark out by the time Sakura arrives home, and as she says her goodbyes to Sasuke, she marches right up to the door of her house, her hands holding the bags of cookies she bought earlier in the day.

"Sakura?"

A voice like milk and honey rang through her ears the second she walked inside, and within seconds, her mom's arms surround her.

" _Mom_ ," Sakura breathed out into her mother's hair and she drops the bags of cookies and her arms are around the woman she loves most. "I'm sorry."

Tears roll down her cheeks, her eyes already puffy and makeup smeared, but Mebuki holds her cheeks in her hands and stares into her the eyes.

"I'm glad you're safe."

And as she's pulled in for another hug, Sakura's viridian eyes glance up to meet her father's blue-green orbs staring, his smile sweet and genuine.

Sakura feels her eyes close, her face nuzzled into her mother's shoulder and the tears disappear. She didn't want to look at her dad, she didn't want to talk to him or be in the same room as him, but when Mebuki pulled away, she clasped her hands together and grinned.

"Your father is home."

And it takes every ounce of strength to force a smile and wave at her father. He returns her smile, but he knows that she's not happy and neither of them talk about their run-in that happened earlier.

Or so Sakura thought that that was going to happen.

"I saw Sakura with a guy earlier while getting your gift, dear."

Sakura scowls at him, her core bursting with heat and her hands clench into fists. Mebuki's eyes are wide with surprise and her lips part.

"Oh, really?"

Sakura can feel her nostrils flare, but when she thinks her dad is finished talking, he's not.

"He's graduated, too."

 _Please shut up_ , her mind screamed, but her body remained still.

"That's _lovely_ ," Mebuki spits out, but Sakura can sense the sarcasm and _if only_ she knew that he had not only graduated high school, but from university too - oh, and he's her sensei at school - she'd surely throw a fit.

Today had just went down the drain, and Sakura finds that a frown is on her face and her heart no longer beats quickly like it had earlier in the day. Her and Sasuke would surely get caught soon, but she wouldn't give him up; things were just getting interesting.


	14. fourteen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hi guys!_

 _Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them, reallyreallyreally! 3 anyways, I wanted Karin and Sakura to have some more interaction, so low and behold, this next chapter. Still transitioning, buuuuuuttt, let me know what you think, please :) enjoy._

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

* * *

Her pencil moved along the lines of her paper, her eyes glanced at the open textbook on her desk while music played into her ears. After the moment her father spilled the beans about Sakura being with a guy earlier that day, her mother had been very quiet and suspicious.

A cold breeze seeped in through the window of her bedroom, relaxing her anxious breathing and the press of her pencil against paper. When she finished writing though, she held it up and examined it before placing it back in her book and closing it for the night.

Sakura still didn't feel any ease after doing her work. Instead of trying to relax her breathing, she searched for her secret contact and shot a text his way.

 _He told my mom he saw you._

The minute that passed by was almost unbearable, but when her phone vibrated, she unlocked it and read it almost immediately.

 _And?_

Sakura frowned. _And?_

"And we're going to get caught and get in trouble!" Sakura whispered to herself before she pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled loudly.

 _I don't want you to get caught. And now my mom is watching me like a hawk. You know what that means, right?_

She bit down on her thumbnail as the bubble appeared on her screen, showing that Sasuke was writing her a message back.

 _Then we'll take a little break for awhile. Things will calm down. Patience._

She hated when Sasuke talked to her like a child, and instead of texting him back, she placed it back down on her desk and sat back, her thumbnail in her mouth as she bit down on it. Her heart was beating rapidly still, a lump in her throat as her frown deepened. After another minute of silence, her phone vibrated again.

 _As much as I'll hate taking a break away from you, it'll be worth it in the end._

Sakura rolled her eyes before smirking at his words.

 _Cheesy…_

She wrote back before her mother's voice sounded from the doorway. Sakura's head whipped back and there stood Mebuki, a small smile on her face with a questioning eyebrow raised.

"What's so funny?" She asked before opening the door a little further.

Sakura swallowed before she offered a forced smile. "Ino. She's telling me a joke and-"

"Dinner is ready," her mother interrupted, and just like that, she was gone and Sakura was left alone in her room.

 _What the hell?_ She thought to herself. She pulled her earphones from her ears and unplugged them from her phone. Her feet took her down the stairs with ease, and when she came to the dining room, her father had the table set and a plate of food at everyone's usual spot.

"Hi, sweetie."

"Hi."

Sakura pulled her seat out and sat, her father mirroring her movements, and as Mebuki sat down, Sakura could feel the awkward tension settle over the three of them. They all started to eat in silence - Sakura picked at her food here and there - but when Mebuki glanced her way, she felt knots tighten and the air from her lungs disappear.

"How was your night last night?"

Sakura nodded as she tried to swallow the bite she had just taken. It didn't help that her throat was tight and dry, the food lodging almost instantly, but with a big gulp of water, she smiled brightly.

"It was alright."

"Hm," Mebuki let out before smiling and nodding. "Where were you? I called Naruto and Ino and they said they hadn't seen you."

This was when Sakura's mind went into overdrive. How was she going to cover this one up? Oh god.

"With a new friend. Her name is Karin, and she doesn't have service at her house."

 _What the fuck!_ She screamed at herself from the inside, her eyes widening, yet her fake smile stayed.

The frown on both her mother's and father's face appeared, and when they glanced at one another, Kizashi coughed slightly before glancing out the wide window by the table.

"That's nice, darling." Mebuki commented with a strangled tone. "I haven't seen her around. Maybe she can join us for shopping tomorrow?"

"Uh-" Sakura stuttered, her eyes widened even more while her fingers fidgeted with the fabric of her shirt. "She's busy," Sakura waved her hand in front of her face and grabbed her fork off her plate before taking another bite.

"Maybe another time though!" She spoke through a mouthful of food, trying to move this topic along.

"Nonsense, she can come over Sunday when we do our annual baking. We'd _love_ to meet her." Mebuki's tone was serious, a force to be reckoned with, and if Sakura wanted to leave this dinner table alive, she'd happily oblige.

"Yes, mother."

"Good, I'm excited to meet her!"

.

.

.

Sakura's fingers were moving at the speed of light the moment she got back up to her room that night. Her body was trembling, her forehead lined with sweat as she quickly texted her blonde best friend and waited for a reply.

 _Do you have Karin's number?_

Her lip was between her teeth while she watched Ino's text come through.

 _What the fuck? Is this Forehead?_

Sakura could scream, but instead, she typed back furiously.

 _I'm serious, Pig. Do you have it?_

One minute, two minutes, three minutes… Sakura was going to go crazy if she had to wait a minutelonger, but by the time ten minutes rolled by, her phone lit up and her eyes read the screen.

Ino's text was plain and simple, a number granted to her and instead of thanking her infuriating friend, she copied the number and began to call.

How stupid was she for saying she was with Karin? Of all the people she could've said, Karin's name was the first one that came to mind.

 _"Hello?"_

Sakura felt her chest hitch, her words froze up in her throat and a low groan escaped into the microphone of the phone.

 _"Who is this?"_ Her voice came back through, and, _"I'm going to hang up if you don't answer."_

Sakura shook her head before speaking. "Hi, Karin? It's Sakura."

A pause, before she heard the redhead's chuckle. _"What do you want?"_

Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose, her cheeks turning bright red. She needed to keep her voice down, well aware that her mom was probably listening from outside the door.

"Do you want to hang out on Sunday?"

Sakura didn't have to be there to know the frown that overtook the girl's features, but after a long, drawn out silence, her reply caught Sakura off guard.

 _"Sure."_

"Wait, seriously?"

 _"I don't see why not."_ Her tone had changed, and while Sakura felt her own brows furrow, she smiled in relief.

"Cool. Um-" she took a moment to think. "I'm sorry if this is so sudden, but do you want to come help bake? My mom and I do this every year, and considering we didn't start out on the right foot, why not start over?"

Memories of a drink thrown on Karin flashed through her mind, and another wave of heat washed over her body as she kept her thumb and index finger applying pressure to her nose.

 _"Okay,"_ her response was short, her tone confused but she also sensed a certain happiness in it as well. _"I'll see you then."_

When she hung up, Sakura felt her mouth gaping wide and her eyes staring blankly at her eggshell white wall.

"What the _fuck_ just happened."

.

.

.

The doorbell sounded throughout Sakura's home, and when she skipped to the door, her eyes fell on ruby eyes and crimson cheeks. Snow fell from gray clouds behind Karin, and once she noticed that she was staring at the redhead, she shook her head before inviting her in.

"Hi, sorry," she chirped and stepped aside. "Come in."

"Thanks," Karin muttered. Her hands held grocery bags filled with something, but Sakura wasn't sure of what. Flour, sugar, eggs?

When she stepped aside, she caught the scent of fresh cut strawberries from her hair and she couldn't help but smile awkwardly. They both stood in front of one another, their eyes looking at each other the moment Sakura closed the door.

"Is this Karin?" Her mother's voice rang like a sing song, and Sakura shrugged her shoulders at Karin, who raised her eyebrows and returned the smile that Mebuki gave her. "Hello!"

"Hello," Karin smiled, and Sakura could see the tension in her shoulders release, and before she could say another word, her mother was leading the redhead away and towards the kitchen.

"We've already started on cookies, but we've got candies and other sweets to make. Sakura normally takes care of the fudge, but we might try making some popcorn balls this year, too!"

"Oh, very nice." Karin commented as she removed her coat from her shoulders and placed it on the back of one of the stools by the counter. Her eyes glanced to Sakura, who tensed under those intense ruby eyes.

She didn't see any rude intentions or snarky glares, though. Instead, she saw a kind and genuine shimmer, and as she looked away and began to wash her hands, Sakura joined her side and began to wash hers as well.

Mebuki walked away from the kitchen, and that's when Karin glanced to Sakura's viridian eyes with questions that she intended to ask, but not yet.

 _Thank you_ , Sakura mouthed, and Karin only shook her head while a ghost of a smile appeared on her red, red lips.

.

.

.

After washing cookie sheets, cutting boards, whisks, and the millions of other kitchen utensils they had used that day, Sakura found that her eyes were tired and her back hurt. Mebuki had left the rest of the job up to the two girls, who finished the fudge and bagged up the cookies and candies, and wrapped up the popcorn balls.

"So you do this every year?" Karin asked as she finished zipping a bag closed.

Sakura had come to relax around the girl and eventually, they chatted throughout the entire day and enjoyed one another's company. Karin even seemed to enjoy being around Mebuki; her smile didn't fade once throughout the day.

"Yes. Mainly for family, and coworkers of my mother. You can take some home with you, though," Sakura offered with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Karin chuckled before taking a seat and sighing. "So."

"Right," Sakura glanced back towards the front room, hoping her mother wasn't around. "We can go up to my room."

Karin nodded before Sakura led the way. She didn't find it awkward or strange that the girl had been entirely comfortable in a stranger's home - especially since they didn't get along, but that had changed.

With the door shut and locked behind her, Sakura leaned against the white door and exhaled. Karin sat on her bed, ruby eyes examining the walls and furniture that Sakura's room had to offer.

How to tell her this without blowing their cover…

"I've been hanging out with this guy lately, and I didn't want my parents knowing."

"Ah," Karin nodded her head. "Who is he?"

"He's not from here," Sakura answered quickly, but she knew Karin wasn't going to buy her bullshit excuse. "At least, that's what I need to keep telling myself. And others, of course"

 _Sure,_ she won't confide in her mother, or Ino, or Naruto, but here she is, like an open book. Karin leaned back and rested on her elbows.

"So," she spoke again, holding the 'o' with a sense of annoyance. "Or is it really that much of a secret, that your family can't know?"

Sakura nodded, her balled fists coming to rest over her chest as she bit down on her lip.

"How long have you been seeing him?"

"Roughly since September," Sakura answered honestly. Her cheeks dusted with a light pink the longer their conversation carried on.

Karin's eyes dropped, sadness taking over her facial features as she nodded. "Well I'm actually glad you invited me over. Regardless if we didn't start off on the right foot, I had fun."

There was a tug of guilt in Sakura's chest as she listened to Karin's quiet tone now. She began to feel bad for the girl.

"It's been hard since I moved here." Her head snapped up, and the smear of her eyeliner didn't go unnoticed. "Speaking of which, how do you know what happened at my previous school?"

Sakura lifted an eyebrow in question, but then like a smack to her face, she remembered what she had said to Karin at her first party she attended. Sakura sighed, long and hard, before shaking her head and offering a sincere smile.

"I was bluffing."

"You bitch," Karin scoffed before shaking her head and smiling along with Sakura. "There was one incident."

Sakura felt the knots in her stomach tighten, and not in a good way. She didn't get the butterfly feeling, or the numbing blush that Sasuke gave her. No, she felt like Karin was about to reveal something terrifying, but when the redhead gave her another smile, all her worries died down.

"Not that it's something we can talk about, now just isn't the time," she spoke after moments of silence. Sakura swallowed before nodding.

"Of course," she agreed.

"For real, though, Pinky-" Sakura frowned at the nickname, "-I hope that whatever you have going on works out for you."

She felt genuinely pleased that Karin would actually say that. "Thank you," she spoke through a shy tone and red cheeks. "It means a lot."

.

.

.

With the weekend over and school starting in fifteen minutes, Sakura was walking alongside Naruto and Ino on their way to school. She couldn't ignore the fact that she was with her friends once more; all smiles and talkative conversations, no awkward tension or glares. Although when Sakura first emerged from her house, Ino gave her a narrowed eyed look and a face that told her that Sakura would need to spill information soon.

She gulped back the intimidation that coursed through her body, and the moment they walked through the doors of the school, she inhaled the scent of hot chocolate and old textbooks. The three of them shared a cup of cocoa, and as her and Naruto broke off from Ino and began their walk down the hall, Sakura's heart began to beat rapidly in her chest and smile pulled at her lips.

Down the hall, through the entry way, and in the unnatural light of the classroom sat Sasuke. Combed hair, clean face, a fresh set of dress pants and shirt, and a smirk that sent fire through her veins.

A breath of relief and a seat at her desk didn't calm her body. She sat like a smiling idiot throughout her entire first class, her viridian eyes on his body whenever he moved to instruct and teach his class, and when he sat to go over paperwork, it was then that she noticed just how focused _he_ looked when he would write, too.


	15. fifteen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hi. This will be the last update until Sunday/Monday, as I'll be out of town for the weekend! Lemme know what you think and thank you for reading!_

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

* * *

The tip of the pen came to rest against her lower lip as her eyes read the next question on her test. Their winter break was coming up soon, and instead of going easy on their classes, each sensei had assigned tests for the last week of school.

Sakura sat in Sasuke's class, her mind one hundred percent stumped by this question. She knew the answer to it, but because of the way he had worded it, she began to second guess herself. Her pink brows pulled together, viridian eyes narrowing at the words while her pink locks brushed her cheeks when she learned forward.

Sakura inhaled before writing her answer down. The second she lifted the ballpoint from the paper, she stole a glance towards Sasuke's direction and found butterflies breaking free from within her.

Spilled oil like eyes stared back at her, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips before he looked away. She couldn't help the smile that came to land on her lips, until she glanced back down at her test and continued with her work.

He drove her absolutely crazy. Her left hand came to grab the hem of her skirt, pulling at it while she squeezed her legs against one another. It had been weeks since she felt his lips on hers, weeks since his hands had rested on her hips, and weeks since she had been alone with him in his expensive looking condo and shiny black car.

A quick, low sigh pressed through her lips.

 _Soon_ , was what she continued to tell herself.

.

.

.

"Hey, Pinky," Karin greeted her at her locker after class. Sakura felt the grin on her face when she glanced over at the redhead and waved.

"Hey, Karin. How'd you do on your test? Or, I guess _how_ do you think you did?"

Karin pursed her lips before frowning slightly. "I think I did okay. Uchiha-sensei worded some of the questions differently, like he was trying to confuse us."

Sakura smiled sheepishly before letting out a girlish giggle. So Sakura wasn't the only one that had noticed.

"What're you doing after school today?" Karin asked once Sakura pulled her shoulder bag from her locker and stuffed some books beneath her arm.

"Normally I walk home with Ino and Naruto, but what's up?"

Karin fidgeted under Sakura's gaze as they started to walk down the hall, and it didn't help that her gaze dropped almost suddenly as well.

"Karin?" Sakura questioned, her voice holding concern.

"I was going to see if you wanted to hang out for a little."

"Sure!" Sakura chirped, and when Karin's chin tilted up, she had a soft smile on her face. "Where at?"

"We can grab some coffee or hot chocolate?" Sakura nodded at the idea, mostly because snow had been falling nonstop outside and the weather had been colder than any of the previous years.

"Hey, Forehead." Ino's intense voice stopped the two girls in their tracks.

Icy blue eyes stared into fiery red, and while Sakura felt the tension in the air almost immediately, she offered a kind smile at Ino. "Hey, Pig."

An awkward silence fell over the three of them, but Sakura remained smiling. After all, a forced smile had gotten her out of many things in her life, but it seemed like the two females in front of her weren't paying attention.

"Where are you two going?" Ino asked, her blue eyes narrowing slightly under the stare of Karin. Her jacket had already been slipped on over her uniform, and next came her gloves and a hat, soon to follow.

"To the coffee house," Sakura responded. Ino gave her a skeptical look the moment she glanced to her pink haired best friend. "What're _you_ up to, Pig?"

"Walking home with Naruto, but I can't find him."

Her tone was about as icy as her eyes now, and it took everything for Sakura not to lash out at the blonde; after all, they were working on mending their friendship.

"Have you checked Gai's class?" Sakura inquired.

"Not yet. Figured I'd come ask you first," Ino's glare had finally come to halt and her eyes now looked tired. "Anyways, see you in the morning, Forehead. Text me."

Sakura nodded before continuing by her - Karin walked alongside her - and taking a left down the hall. It was amazing just how empty things got the moment school ended, but Sakura scoffed at the idea of any teenager wanting to stay late. Then again, she would stay late with Sasuke only a couple of months ago. Bittersweet memories made her exhale slowly, and although she wanted to go see him right now, they were covering their tracks and taking a short break.

"Everything okay, Pinky?"

Sakura glanced back at the new nickname that Karin had been calling her lately and nodded.

"Just a long day," she tried, but the hard look in those ruby eyes of Karin weren't believing any of it. Sakura rethought her answer, "it's just been a long couple of weeks."

Karin nodded as they walked down the hall side by side.

" _Sakura._ "

His voice always hit that button within her mind that would free the butterflies and light her blood on fire. She shivered at the sound, and as her head turned to find his voice, he was standing in the doorway to his class. Karin was now turned around too, a plucked eyebrow arched.

"Can I have a word?" Sakura frowned, her eyes widening at his ballsy move. "About the test."

"Sure," she muttered before turning to Karin and offering a gentle smile. "Mind waiting a few minutes?"

She nodded her head, her red tresses moving with each nod before she continued towards the commons area of the school. Once she was out of earshot, Sakura grinned before rushing towards his room.

Once inside, he closed the door behind her and she could feel her nerves crash like rocking waves throughout her body, her heart beating entirely too fast, and before she could hold back, her lips were on his and she was inhaling his smoky scent. Her books crashed against the floor with a loud thud, and her bag had been thrown against one of the desks.

" _Fuck_ ," he muttered against her lips before he slid his tongue into her mouth.

She reciprocated the movements and welcomed him. They were both breathing hard, and as Sakura wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, he was hoisting her up and pressing her back against the wall.

"About my test, huh?" She whispered against his ear, taking a moment to breathe in his intoxicating scent while his hands held her in place.

Their hips were pressed together, his strong hands on her bare legs just below her butt. He was like fire, scalding her with his touch, but curiosity got the best of her; she wanted more.

 _Teach me_ , she pleaded from within, and as his lips pressed tender, soft kisses to her clavicle, she groaned lightly under his touch.

"Something like that," he murmured against her skin, sending ripples of vibrations that drove her crazy. "I needed to see you."

"And I, you."

He smirked that handsome, mischievous smirk before pulling back to look into her earthy eyes. His hair was a mess now, his own dark eyes exhausted, yet his skin looked smooth and felt soft underneath her knuckles as she pushed his dark locks away from his face.

Sasuke pressed one more kiss to her lips, the grip he had on her body loosened, but before he could place her back on the floor, Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him back in for another long, passionate kiss.

"Not yet," her husky whisper came out from between their lips. His tongue felt good against her own, his thin lips working with hers and as he hoisted her back up. She smiled.

"You're driving me crazy," his low tone sent shivers throughout her body and as Sakura pulled away, she bit her lip and felt a blush rise to her cheeks. This was what she wanted: his hands on her body, lips pressed to her own while their breathing filled the air and their sweet, soft whispers sounded from between each kiss.

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-sensei."

His obsidian eyes caught hers, and she felt her core ignite and her fingers find their way to the roots of his hair. He pressed one last kiss to the skin on her neck, placing it gently over the vein that throbbed from each beat of her heart, and when he set her down slowly, she smirked her own smirk at him.

"Thanks for going over the test with me."

His teeth showed from behind thin lips, a smirk entirely too handsome and inviting before he shook his head and let her walk away, "have a good night."

Sakura patted her hair down, ran her fingers through the strands and readjusted her skirt as he walked down the hallway. Karin was waiting in the commons, and when her eyes caught sight of Sakura, she smiled gently.

"Everything go okay?"

Sakura felt a ripe blush creep up her neck and expand over her cheeks. "Yep, all is good. Forgot to finish answering a question…"

Karin eyed her a moment longer than Sakura liked, but turned on her heel and began leading the way from the school. They walked through the doors together, the cold winter breeze grasping hold of them the moment they exited the school.

"I love the snow but hate the cold," Sakura hissed as she pulled her jacket tighter around her chest. "Where'd you move from?"

Karin glanced towards Sakura before nodding her agreement about the cold, and then, "Oto."

 _Oto, Oto, Oto_. Sakura had heard of the city before, but never ventured there herself. "Is it nice there?"

"It's okay." Her answer came out in a short tone, and Sakura frowned slightly. There were secrets to learn about this girl, and one way or another, Sakura would learn. She wouldn't press the subject, or stress Karin out over it, but she was definitely curious.

"Have you talked to your oh, so secret crush recently?" Karin's conversation carried through the air like the snowflakes.

"Yeah," Sakura breathed her answer out.

An awkward silence stopped their conversation, until the redhead's eyes were on her. "It's hard for you to lie, isn't it?"

She had caught the pinkette off guard, throwing her mind into a void that Sakura never knew existed, and when Karin smiled, she shook her head slightly.

"Such an open book."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Although Sakura knew exactly what she meant; what she wanted to know was if Karin knew who exactly her secret was. "Karin?"

"Chill, Pinky. I'm only kidding."

Sakura bit down on her lip and frowned. A nervous laugh erupted from the pit of her throat before she poked Karin. "Yeah," she laughed once more, "I knew that!"

.

.

.

The girls had walked down the street until Karin parted ways from Sakura, leaving them both to wander down streets that had filled up with snow. Their time at the coffee house was something Sakura needed - something Karin needed as well. They relaxed, went over notes from Sasuke's class, gossiped about Gai and his younger days, and overall had a great bonding experience.

The moment Sakura walked through the front door of her house and kicked her boots off to the side was when she noticed her father lounging lazily on the couch.

"Where's mom?"

"Still at work." His answer was as short as her question, a pain filling in Sakura's chest as she frowned.

"Still? It's late."

Kizashi turned his head to meet Sakura's frown. "She's working late tonight. Hungry, sweetie?"

Sakura shook her head before biting down on her lip and walking towards the stairs. She had wanted to ask him why he told Mebuki about Sasuke, but opted not to. Only until she had reached midway up the stairs, that the clearing of her father's throat caught her attention.

"Are you still mad at me?"

She shuffled down a couple of steps awkwardly before her wide evergreen eyes glanced down at him. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I miss my sweet little girl."

Sakura scoffed now, her nostrils flaring slightly as she balanced her weight on one leg and slouched over the stair railing. "Well I missed you all those times you would leave, but did that ever change anything?"

The room fell quiet, her words falling on deaf ears as he rotated his head back towards the television. There wasn't something right about her father, and before she began heading up the stairs once more, her father's cracked voice stopped her.

"You mother and I are getting a divorce."

Time stopped, her heart raged on while her chest ached. It took everything to swallow what little saliva she had in her mouth, and instead of protesting and kicking and screaming, she took one step forward.

Everything hurt. Her heart, her mind, her eyes, her body, but mostly her spirit. They had always been a tight knit family, only until recently. The moment she reached her bedroom, she slammed her door shut behind her, the padding of her thumb clicking the lock in place while her arms threw her stuff out of her hands and her body collapsed onto her bed.

Tears didn't fall, sobs didn't sound. Her heartbeat was the only thing she felt, reminding her just how alive she was, reminding her just how unfair and cruel this world could be. Sakura was numb, her mind blank and her eyes staring aimlessly at the popcorn ceiling above her.

Nothing felt right in this unfair world that she called life.

.

.

.

After hours of lying in bed with an empty body and mind, she rolled to her side and finally, a single tear broke through and slid down her cheek. It was now eleven at night. She didn't hear her mother come home, nor did she hear her father go to bed.

Everything was silent and everything was goddamn annoying.

 _"Sakura?"_

She wasn't sure when she had grabbed her phone, or when she had scrolled to his contact information, or when she had pressed the call button. But here she was, dialing Sasuke late in the night while tears gently rolled down her cheeks.

 _"Sakura?"_ His tone was a little more stern that time, but it wasn't enough to shake Sakura from the void she had entered.

Another minute of silence went by, only his sigh and a ruffling from his side of the phone came through until a short gasp came from Sakura, and finally the tears she had been forcing from her body. She was sobbing now, her cries and pleas for help sounding into her phone as she rolled to her side and curled her knees up to her chest.

"Sasuke," she cried out. "I need to not be here. _I need you_. I can't take it anymore."

Her words came out in long, drawn out howls while she clenched her eyes shut and grinded her teeth together until she could physically feel the pain. Her fingers wrapped around her phone as tight as she could possibly get them, and when she held her breath for a moment, it was only a matter of seconds before she let out another loud sob.

Sasuke was silent on his end, but she knew he was there and he was listening. She continued to cry and sob, cry and sob, cry and sob, until she finally opened her eyes and let her pupils adjust to the light that leaked from her lamp.

" _Sasuke_ ," she whispered, mostly to herself and mostly to make herself realize that he was real and she wasn't just making this up. "Can you come get me."

"Yes," his voice was quiet like her whisper and at his tone, Sakura closed her eyes again and let the tears stream down her face.

She let the phone go and rolled over to her other side, exhaustion seeping in through her eyelids while she tried to calm her rushing mind and quick heartbeat. None of this was real, it couldn't be real.

.

.

.

With her jacket pulled over her face and her feet sliding through inches upon inches of snow, Sakura carried her body down the dark road and in the direction of the city. She had her phone in her pocket, ignoring the ferocious amounts of time it had vibrated, and every time she glanced at the screen, _Himitsu U._ rolled across it slowly.

Her viridian eyes could see the glowing lights of the city just ahead, but before she started to cross the street, she was cut off by skidding halt of Sasuke's black car. He was out of his car in no time, his eyes pinned on her own while he quickly made his way to her, a frown cast over his features as he marched right up to her.

"What're you doing out here?" He growled, his voice like venom and his eyes like daggers. "Why weren't you answering my calls?"

His words slurred together into nothingness; everything within Sakura was numb and she couldn't even focus on Sasuke's mesmerizing, black eyes long enough to comprehend a single word.

"Sakura!" His voice was now an octave lower, yet the volume of his voice higher. His hands were on her shoulders, his face coming to hover right in front of hers while silver flecks shimmered with concern inside dark, soot colored eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"They're getting a divorce," she mumbled from behind cold lips and a red, button nose. A single tear slid down her cheek and fell from her jaw. Sasuke's eyes reflected a broken mirror, and Sakura knew that that was her inside those eyes of his.

His strong arms remained on her shoulders, his eyes on hers until a low growl followed by an exhale filled the air. "Come on, let's get you inside. Your lips are purple and your skin is red."

"Okay." The mutter was simple; nothing more, nothing less. Sasuke's hand led her to the door of his car, and as she climbed in, her skin began to thaw under the heat of his car. The heated leather seats felt good against the back of her legs and lower back, and for a moment, she finally relaxed that night.

It took Sasuke a minute to gather his thoughts and get his angry breathing under control, but when he did, the car started to roll forward and his hand came to rest on her left thigh.

"Please don't wander on your own when it's dark anymore, Sakura."

It was the deep concern in her voice that pulled her from her deep thoughts for a moment, that she glanced to her left and found his jawline tensed and fingers wrapped around the steering wheel tighter than necessary.

She didn't respond, nor could she because her voice was gone and a pain settled in the pit of her throat while she lost her mind to the void she had been in. Even with Sasuke's scent all around her and his warm hand on her lap, all she wanted was a bed to curl up on a blankets to wrap up in.

.

.

.

Sasuke had gotten her a fresh towel from the dryer, a shirt of his own and a blanket that she had requested once she finished her shower. She wasn't sure how long she stood under the warm water, but her fingers were pickled, along with her toes.

She felt and looked like a drowned rat when she stepped out. Her mascara and eyeliner had ran thoroughly down and around the underside of her jaw, and as she wiped at the black smears, they finally vanished under the fabric of the towel.

Two small rasps on the door startled her body, causing her to jump and wrap up, but what she didn't realize, was that she was opening the door and greeting Sasuke's wide eyes. He glanced away, a tint of red covering over his smooth, pale skin until he cleared his throat and swallowed.

"Here." He shoved the object into her hands and reached for the handle of the door before closing it quickly. Sakura's emerald green eyes glanced down at the pokey object in her hands, a smile gracing her lips as she stared at the comb there.

With Sasuke's shirt thrown over her body and her face cleaned of makeup and hair combed thoroughly, she emerged from the steamy bathroom and found that the living room was completely dark. Sasuke's bedroom light was leaking out from the crack in his door, and as she made her way towards it and her fingers pushed it open, he had a simple blanket and pillow in his arms.

"Hi," she spoke in a hoarse voice.

His cheeks were no longer red, nor were his eyes averting away from her. He looked flustered under the unnatural light in his bedroom, and when Sakura took a step towards him, his brows furrowed slightly.

"What?" Sakura asked, confused by his look and movements.

"You can have my bed tonight. I'll sleep on the couch."

Sakura's lips parted, her eyes glancing to the bed that was way too big for one person before dropping her gaze. "Oh, okay." It was her turn to frown now.

Sasuke began to walk towards the door that she stood in front of now, and instead of grazing her forehead with his lips, he pushed by her and towards the front room.

"You can sleep in here," Sakura muttered under her breath. He stopped dead in his tracks, his heel twitching at the sound of her voice. "-if you want," she added quickly.

The night air seeped in through the balcony door, brushing across Sakura's toes and it was then that she noticed just how cool it was outside. Sasuke's face was turned towards her now, the pillow and blanket in his hands dropping slightly as he thought about her offer.

"That's not a good idea."

Sakura's frown deepened, her body moving towards him with small steps and a firm look in her eyes. When she stopped just in front of him, it took everything not to knock the items from his hands and take his face in her hands and press her lips against his own.

She was tired, upset, emotionally exhausted and drained, and this was the last thing she needed right now. "Please," she breathed out, "I want you to."

It wasn't Sakura who needed to wipe his arms clean of the pillow and blanket, because Sasuke's arms had dropped them, and they were immediately around Sakura's waist. He had her picked up and against his body, his lips on hers while he walked her back towards his bedroom, stopping to kick the door shut with the heel of his foot and bringing her down to his bed.

"This isn't a good idea," he muttered against her cold lips again, but Sakura only stared at him with desire in her viridian eyes. "Not right now."

"Why?" She asked from beneath the weight of his body. She could feel the comfortable mattress absorb their bodies, and the farther she melted into it, the comfier she became. "This is what we both want."

Sasuke shook his head before pressing a sweet kiss to her lips. "You're not thinking right. You're hurting and you can't think straight with such an emotional burden going on in your life right now. Trust me, Sakura. I don't want you to do something you're going to regret."

Her fingers began to run through his hair, smoothing the rebellious tresses under her touch as she focused on the glimmering way his eyes looked at her. An in a hushed, breathless whisper, she spoke words of truth, "who says I'm going to regret it?"

Sasuke blinked slowly. His thick lashes hooded those lovely dark eyes of his, and after another quick but soft kiss to her lips, he smirked. "Me."

Sakura came to wrap her legs around his back and her arms tightened around his neck, pulling him closer to her face until their foreheads touched. She blinked slowly, fighting off the exhaustion that began to lull her to sleep.

If there was ever another moment like this, she would have her way. But Sakura knew that their time would be coming to an end; their secret meetings and nights of watching TV and having dinner together would be a thing of the past and Sakura's mind was focused on the now.

"It's what I need," she finally spoke, and Sasuke's lips came back down to hers and he was no longer pushing her body into his mattress, but pulling her to sit on top of him, her legs straddling his hips.

Her heart clenched and her eyes widened. Her fingers trembled as they came to rest on his chest, and when he smirked, his eyes held a soft look that she had never seen before. Sasuke had put her in control, and now that she was here, there was no going back.

"Then show me how much you need it."


	16. sixteen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hi guys. Sorry it's a late update, been busy all day and I'm finally getting around to it. Anywhoooooo, people have been asking why Sakura is soo upset over her dad and why she's acting the way she's acting. Let's recap:_

 _Sakura is 17 and she's still in high school. We all know how stressful classes can be, we all know how stressful friendships and drama can be and we all know how much shit we go through during that time of our life. Welp, unfortunately for Sakura, she's currently going through that. Second, if you've ever gone through a divorce, you'd understand the feelings and emotions she's going through. As someone who grew up super close to her dad and eventually grew distant because of stupid shit, it's very heartbreaking and can take its toll on a person - especially when you use to be close to that special person for years. I hope this explains a little bit about how she feels because she is still young and she is still learning. It's also not easy to hide that she's practically dating her teacher..._

 _Hope you guys enjoy. It's a little short, but we're getting there. I think we're like halfway/a little over halfway through now. Let me know what you think and thank you for reading!_

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

* * *

Sakura could hardly breathe now. With Sasuke underneath her, his hands on her hips and obsidian eyes shimmering, she felt her entire mouth go dry.

Her hands were resting against his chest now, and Sasuke didn't make a single move. His words made her very core heat up, causing her mind to go numb and her fingers to tremble the moment she touched him.

It was only a matter of starting this whole thing now. He had given her the choice, put the power in her hands, and being inexperienced didn't help. Sakura gulped hard before pulling her hands back to her body and looking down.

Her life was a mess, currently, and this was the last thing she wanted to do. Sasuke could get in trouble if anyone found out - not just a slap on the hand, but doing some serious time and having some real shit on his records. But the way she felt around him, and how he felt underneath her was entirely too tempting.

 _Maybe if I just_ -

"Sakura."

His voice cut through her thoughts and brought her hardened eyes back to an alert state. Her lips parted when her head snapped up, meeting his soft gaze with confused intentions.

"What?" She breathed out.

Sasuke sat up on an elbow, his opposite hand reached out and cupped her cheek. Sakura felt her body immediately cool down at his touch, ice filling her veins as her eyes focused in on his dark orbs. His lips were pulled into such a firm line, Sakura wasn't sure if she had pissed him off or upset him.

Another moment of silence passed and he still hadn't said a word. Sakura felt her teeth grit suddenly before a single tear streamed from her left eye. His thumb caught it and wiped it away before it could fall to the fabric of his clothes.

"It's okay," he murmured before suddenly pulling her from her perch on top of him, and to the bedside next to him. His lips pressed soft kisses to her nose before a smirk painted itself on her lips. "Don't."

Sakura felt the tears prick at her eyes at this words, but instead of full on sobbing again that night, she simply leaned her head into his hand and basked in his presence.

"I don't want you to think differently of me," she whispered. Her emerald green eyes closed as she continued to snuggle against his hand. "I don't want to look like a child to you-"

"Don't," he spoke the word again. Her viridian eyes snapped open, finding hard obsidian eyes and a straight face. Sasuke didn't look amused or happy, he looked annoyed and upset. "Don't say that, Sakura. I'm not going to force you to do something that you're not ready for."

He inhaled deeply before readjusting next to her. She wanted to know what he was thinking, wanting to crawl inside his mind and see his thoughts, know what he wanted and get down to the core and just see exactly what he saw in her that made him stay.

"Besides, your innocence is important. I'm not going to take that away from you."

Sakura felt both relieved and upset, but mostly relieved that she wouldn't have to carry on with slowly grinding her hips against his, and runs her hands down his cotton t-shirt, slowly lifting it by the hem and pulling it up to reveal rock hard abs, and smooth, smooth skin. The thought made her hot, her core becoming covered with molten lava at the thought.

"Why do you stay, Sasuke?" Sakura spoke through parted lips and glassy eyes. She was an open book at this late hour - raw and exposed for the young girl she truly was on the inside, and even though she lie there in Sasuke's arms, she couldn't help but shiver at the breeze that came in through the screendoor. "There's tons of women that are older than me and, and-"

His hard eyes stopped her again. Sasuke didn't have to say a word, or hush her with a single finger. He only cocked his head slightly against the mattress before smirking softly. "Why do you stay?" He retorted.

Sakura frowned at his question and rolled to her back. Her shirt lifted up over her abdomen, and instead of readjusting it, she let it stay and let the cold wind bite at her hot skin. It was a great reminder that this was real life, not a dream.

Why was it so hard to answer a simple question? She knew why she wanted to stay, so why was is so hard to word and say it aloud.

"Well I like you," she started with a quiet voice. "And you're nice - when you want to be. You're fun, smart, you're-"

"Older than you," he spoke with a sarcastic tone that resulted in another frown from Sakura.

"Shush," she waved her small hand towards him before smiling softly. Why was is so hard to explain why she stayed? She was absolutely drawn to him, sad when he looked sad, felt the world glow around her when he was happy. Whenever they spent time together, she felt alive and she could feel the constant beat of her heart in her ears and her skin would turn numb.

It was exhilarating, something she had become addicted to, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Sakura loved that their relationship was forbidden. Adrenaline, ecstasy, excitement, danger; all of it, she was addicted and there was just something about Sasuke that she couldn't give up.

Her head turned towards him again before she pressed her lips to his chin, a smile playing on her lips while her eyes grew heavy.

"We have school tomorrow, Sasuke," she muttered.

"Today," he corrected. "In two hours."

Sakura's eyes glanced out screendoor, searching for the light on the horizon, but to no avail. It was winter after all, and the sun wouldn't rise until later in the day, and it would set early in the day as well.

"I don't want to go. I want to stay here with you."

Sasuke remained quiet for a moment too long before smiling a toothy smile. "Then so be it."

Sakura arched a fine, pink eyebrow. Her lips pursed and before she could ask, he shook his head. "Get some rest. We'll figure it out in a couple of hours."

His voice held so much promise, his tone caring and eyes gentle. When Sakura nodded, she turned her head in the opposite direction, the glow from the lamp on his nightstand came to an end as he flipped the switch and darkness surrounded her.

The one thing that kept her safe from the dangers in the dark was Sasuke's hand, draped gently over her stomach while his fingers rubbed her warm, exposed skin. It was an exciting sensation, warm and smooth, causing goosebumps to spread throughout her body.

With a smile, she let her mind drift to sleep while she pressed her hand to his and together, they fell asleep in the confines of his room.

.

.

.

The smell of toast and cooking bacon stirred her from her slumber. As her jade eyes began to crack open, natural light seeped in through the balcony door and she groaned before wiping the back of her hand over her eyes.

"What time is it," she moaned as she reached for her phone on the nightstand.

Ten-thirty-two in the morning. _"Shit!"_

Her feet hit the hardwood floors, her eyes searching for any signs of her clothes while she ran around Sasuke's room. He wasn't there when she woke up, but she had a hunch that he was currently making food in the kitchen.

"We're late!" Sakura screeched the second she stepped out of his room.

Sasuke only responded with a lazy smile and a small wave. He looked so comfortable in front of the stove while he plucked bacon from the pan and placed the pieces on a plate. Sakura frowned, although she enjoyed the sight of seeing him happy, they were late.

 _"We're late!"_ She shrieked this time, her voice rising an octave with panic and Sasuke only shook his head.

"Calm down. We're not going today."

"What?" Sakura stuttered, her mind had gone completely numb. "Why?"

"First of all, you're late. Second of all, I already called in. You're dismissed for the day, and I'm taking a sick day."

"But, but-"

"Come eat," Sasuke interrupted before Sakura could start to spew more questions. "Or it'll get cold.

She did as she was told and let her legs take her to the high stool that she had sat on before. Her breakfast was served alongside a glass of ice water and as she reached for the cup, Sasuke took a seat next to her and sighed.

"I'm sorry about last night." Sakura spat out the second she placed her cup down.

Sasuke didn't say anything, only side-eyed her before smirking. His silence always made Sakura curious, but instead of questioning him, she took a bite of her eggs and waited as patiently as she could.

"Why?"

"What do you mean _why_?"

"Just why? _Why_ are you sorry? _What_ are you sorry for?"

"For calling you so late in the night. And acting like a spoiled brat… and other things."

"What other things?" His smirk was wider and his eyes were now on Sakura.

She frowned at Sasuke now. He certainly was devilishly handsome with that smirk of his, and before Sakura could say another word, he was pressing a tender kiss to her cheek and backing off before she began to protest his actions.

Oh, how her chest ached from the quick beats of her heart whenever he pressed his lips to her skin; and oh, how she felt herself fall for him more and more as each day passed with him in her life.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"I stay because you're true and genuine. I don't feel like you're bullshitting me when you look at me."

He smirked, his eyes still on the paper that he had gotten earlier that morning. He took another bite of his breakfast before washing it down with a gulp of water and then turned to look at her.

"So romantic," he mocked before reaching over and pulling her under his arm. He pressed a kiss to the temple of her head and held her for what seemed like hours. When his voice lowered, he pressed another kiss to her head and whispered, "thank you, Sakura."

.

.

.

When Sakura arrived at home later that day, she was greeted by an empty house and chilly air. She could see her breath from the moment she walked inside, and when she turned the thermostat knob, the heater kicked on and the house echoed with a raspy groan.

She shook her head before walking upstairs and straight to her room. It was still early in the day, but instead of spending the rest of it with Sasuke, she decided to go home and let her mind calm down for awhile. She had multiple texts from Ino, Naruto and Karin, and she didn't feel like responding to any of them.

Sakura had never missed a day of school. Yet here she was, playing hooky with her sensei (or at least she was), and now she was in the confines of her room and staring up at the popcorn ceiling with glazed over eyes.

The lump in her throat from earlier that day had never vanished. She wasn't sure if she was nervous, anxious, or just wanted to cry, but she could feel it there and it was starting to become uncomfortable.

When she rolled to her side, she pulled the shirt that she had on - currently one of Sasuke's black cotton shirts - and inhaled his scent. It was calming to her, and when she closed her eyes, nothing felt real in this life of hers.

Snow fell outside her window, calm and quiet; her heart beat heavily in her chest as her eyes teared up and the lump in her throat finally vanished. After a few good sobs, she finally let her mind vanish into that same void she had entered only yesterday, and for the rest of the day, she ignored the various phone calls and texts and slept soundly.


	17. seventeen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Thanks for taking the time to read and thank you for the support. Reviews motivate me and I enjoy seeing what you all have to say. C:_

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

* * *

 _"Pinky, hey! Where were you today?"_

Karin's voice was soothing, her tone excited the second she answered her phone and before Sakura croaked out her answer, she inhaled deeply.

"Can you meet me at the coffee house in about fifteen minutes?"

 _"Uh, sure?"_ A short pause, _"is everything okay?"_

"I'll explain there," she worded with a low tone through a raspy voice. Everything was not, in fact, okay.

Sakura hung the phone up and started lacing her boots up and pulling her coat on over her body. It felt warm, and next came her hat and gloves. It had snowed about a foot since the last time she had been outside that day, but instead of dreading the walk towards the coffee house, she took her surroundings in and began to walk.

Her father and mother both returned home later that day, but instead of acting like their family was everything but okay, she walked out on them and made her way towards Karin and a warm cup of coffee. She needed to get things off of her chest - her mind was overloaded and it was getting too hard to face these things by herself.

Her fifteen minute walk had turned into a twenty-five minute walk, and the moment she walked through the front door, a blast of bitter scents and glazed donuts entered her sinuses almost instantly, and the heat of the building melted her core.

Sakura felt okay. Okay until she found a familiar pair of ruby eyes behind glass lenses.

"Pinky." Karin waved her over. Sakura smiled briefly, mostly at the nickname before stomping the snow off her boots and making her way towards the table.

They were the only ones in the shop, minus the employee's, but Sakura didn't mind. She needed a quiet and secluded place, something to help clear her mind and an ear to tell her secrets to.

"Hey, Karin."

"Are you sure you should be out? You don't look well," she commented with wide eyes and pursed lips. Sakura took her seat and dropped her gaze to the wooden table. Karin's attention was turned towards the guy working at the front counter, waving a hand before he walked himself towards them with glasses of ice water.

"Thank you," she muttered, her attention back on Sakura. "Now, what's up?"

Her tone was harder, scarier than Ino's, but her eyes were soft and her face didn't hold tension like Ino's normally would. If Sakura could somehow mold both of their personalities into one person and have that person as her best friend, she would; but she enjoyed both of them and figured this was the best way to go through with it.

Before she had left that night, she texted Ino just to catch up on some things.

Sakura's slender fingers encased the glass, soaking up the condensation and cooling off at the touch. She gulped hard before squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath.

"Have you ever had a secret that no matter how important it was, you just wanted to tell someone? Even if your life and someone else's depended on it?" Sakura couldn't feel her chest due to the aching beat of her heart, and even her fingers had gone numb, her mind in overdrive.

Karin's red brows furrowed, her thick bottom lip puffing out slightly as her head cocked to the side. "What do you mean, Sakura?"

Just like Ino, she was using her actual name in a serious case like this. Sakura took another deep breath before continuing.

"My life is just a mess right now and I don't know right from wrong."

There was a long pause before Karin's fingers intertwined and her posture straightened. She was waiting for Sakura to continue.

"I'm falling and I don't have any help or support. I feel like I can't breathe, and I can't cry in front of people because they'll ask what's wrong, and I can't continue to say 'nothing' because it's not the truth and no one will believe me."

Karin's hand reached out towards Sakura, resting lightly on her cold fingers before she dipped her chin and let her fiery eyes look over the frames of her glasses. _"Breathe."_

Sakura was nearly panting, sweat lined her hairline and as her viridian eyes dropped to Karin's hand on her own, she closed her eyes once more and inhaled for four seconds, and out for seven.

"You good?" Her voice drug out from her throat, and as Sakura exhaled slowly, she nodded her head.

"Yes."

"Now," Karin brought her chin back up and looked at Sakura through the lenses of her glasses. "Please, if you can, start from the beginning. I want to help you, but I can't if I don't know what's going on in your life."

Sakura squirmed in her metal chair, her teeth digging into her bottom lip while her nails bit into the palms of her hands.

 _I can't tell you everything_ , Sakura told herself. _But I can tell you bits and pieces._

"When I got home last night, my dad told me that him and my mother are getting a divorce." It felt unreal, like a lie falling from her tongue and dripping from her lips. Karin's eyebrows lifted with worry and concern, but Sakura wasn't done yet.

"I've been spending the last month and a half being so angry and pissed off at him because he hasn't been home, but the second he told me that, it was like my world came shattering down on me and I panicked." Sakura remembered the memory clearly and squeezed her hands tighter. "I don't want my family to break up, Karin. I'm-"

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes but she fought back and refused to let them run free. "Instead of telling my dad how I felt, I panicked and ran to my room and lost myself. I was numb, I still am. I'm upset and I can't control my feelings because it doesn't feel real, but my body won't wake up and I can't shake the upset feeling in my stomach."

Her voice had grown louder throughout their conversation. Sakura's emerald eyes traced the boards that lined the walls, recalling the look in her father's blue-green eyes and the way his face fell when she snapped at him.

"I'm such a bitch," Sakura chuckled. "I didn't know what I was saying, but it was unreasonable and he didn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve to have me be rude to him, considering the fact that we've always been close."

She took a long pause and remembered days long gone at the park with her father. He would balance her on his shoulders while her hands held onto the monkey bars, his body holding her weight as she smiled and laughed the entire way to the other side. Even ice cream shop visits in the summer stabbed a hole through her chest; pistachio almond on a waffle cone every Wednesday night.

"I'm so angry," she muttered into her small hands. "Pathetic."

"Don't say things like that," Karin scolded. "It's one thing to feel bad for your actions, but that doesn't mean you get to throw yourself a pity party."

Sakura dropped her hands to meet the redhead's intense eyes. She could see a burning fire within her ruby orbs, and instead of burying her face back into her hands, she dropped her gaze and nodded her head.

"Continue, please."

"Remember the guy I've mentioned before?"

Karin nodded her head before taking a sip of water. Sakura could hardly process her thoughts now. The only thing she could feel was the beating of her heart against her rib cage and her shaking hands that she placed in her lap. Would it be okay to tell one person?

"Well-" she stopped, her eyes glancing back to Karin who sat with confusion in her eyes. "I went to his place late last night." She stopped herself there. Karin's eye were now wide and her lips parted.

"What happened?" She whispered, her eyes flashing quickly to the guy who sat at the counter. It was obvious that he was eavesdropping. "Pinky?"

"Nothing serious," Sakura reassured her. "But I ended up staying there-"

"Did he do anything to you?" Karin was now standing from her seat, the chair pushing out from behind her with a shrill screech against the tiled floors.

Sakura waved her hands in front of her face, her cheeks flaring up with a pink blush. "No, no! Sit down, Karin."

She took her seat and scooched back in, her eyes still burning that same fire, except it was like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

"He didn't take advantage or do anything to me. He's not like that. He may be grumpy at times and very strict, but he's also sweet and attentive to my feelings." Sakura found herself smiling, thinking of Sasuke's dark eyes and sharp jawline. He was absolutely flawless.

"Who is he?"

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry," Sakura muttered. The smile from earlier had vanished and a nauseous feeling stirred in her gut.

"Okay," Karin nodded. It was obvious that she was bummed, but also very understanding of Sakura's feelings. She wasn't going to pry for information and as much as Sakura wanted to confide in her new found friend, it just wasn't right to go behind Sasuke's back and tell not only her classmate, but his student, of their relationship.

"It's fucked up."

"Then why do you continue on with it if it's so screwed up?"

Sakura pursed her lips as she thought about it. The cool glass of her drink came to her chapped lips, and as she swallowed the refreshing liquid, she nodded slightly before smiling. "It's harder than you think."

"If you say so," Karin returned the smile before checking her watch. "Is there anything else on your mind lately?"

"College." Sakura answered honestly. "I might apply to University of Konoha instead of trying to get in at Suna. It's closer to home, closer to my mom-"

"Closer to your boy?" Karin joked, her white teeth came to show behind her thin lips.

Sakura's cheek heated up at the mentioning of ' _your boy_ ' and she giggled a girlish laugh before shaking her head. "No! That's not why."

"Does it have to do with the academic program they offer?"

"That, and if I want to get in with the best, I feel like it'll look better in the long run. I'm just trying to plan ahead for the future, honestly."

"Hey," Karin started, "if you think that's what's best for you and your future, then go for it. Nobody will stop you."

Sakura smiled at the encouraging words and chugged the rest of her drink. Although cold, it was still very refreshing in this warm building. Her body began to feel lighter, her head a little more clear and a smile on her lips, finally.

She no longer felt sick to her stomach thinking about where her's and Sasuke's relationship would go, or where she would go to school, or how her parent's divorce would end up. Her mind now felt as light as a feather, the weight of the world no longer on her shoulders as she stood from her seat and reached her hands above her head to stretch out.

"Thanks for meeting me here."

"No problem. By the way," Karin mentioned before pulling a sheet of paper from her bag. "Uchiha-sensei wasn't in today either, but we did have to take some last minute notes on a chapter. There's nothing major coming up that I know of, but here's the assignment numbers."

"Oh," Sakura paused before scanning the words and smiling lightly."Thanks, again!"

.

.

.

"Say, Forehead," Ino huffed out the moment she dropped from the pullup bar and looked at Sakura. "Isn't your dad home?"

Sakura nodded, remembering that she had texted Ino and told her about her parent's situation. She rolled her eyes as Ino started talking again. Gai had the girls in the weight room, working on their last physical test before winter break and required that each of them do a certain amount of reps for each test.

"He'll be home for Christmas?"

"Yes, Pig." She felt herself growing impatient, and instead of waiting for Ino to jump back up to the bar and start pulling herself up again, she positioned herself on the mat and launched towards the metal bar.

"Sweet! Maybe I'll come visit, considering I haven't seen everyone in awhile."

"Don't bother." Sakura pulled herself up with ease, a drop of sweat forming on her temple as she began another round.

"Why?"

Sakura finished the number she was on before dropping to the ground and frowning at her blonde friend. "I texted you last night and told you what was going on."

"Oh, right! My phone broke and I ended up getting a new one with a new number. Sorry," Ino shrugged with a gentle smile. Her blue eyes remained on Sakura as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"They're getting a divorce," Sakura spoke nonchalantly. Ino's ice-like eyes were wide, her lips parted as she grasped Sakura's forearm.

"Since when?"

"A couple days ago." She really didn't feel like going into details; so, instead of sticking around and filling Ino in, she removed her friend's hand from her arm and walked away.

It hurt to walk away from her problems, but Sakura had turned over a new leaf as of last night. She was going to focus on her schoolwork, turn a blind eye to her parent's drama filled life, focus on getting through the next few months and see where her relationship with Sasuke would go.

Into the locker room she went, her gym clothes stripped from her body and her towel, shampoo, conditioner and soap in her hand, and to the steamy shower room.

It wasn't that she was ignoring her problems - she just wasn't in the mood to deal with any drama anymore. She had goals, her eyes set on important things that she was going to focus on from now on.

The moment she exited the locker room, she smiled and felt the wings of butterflies in her stomach. It was just what she had told herself - her eyes were now on something important and there he stood, a slight smirk on his face, while his dark eyes watched Sakura walk on by.

Sakura waved her goodbye as she made her way towards the gym doors and out of the building. Naruto and Ino didn't acquaint her on her way home, neither did Karin or Sasuke. It was now winter break, and it was time for Sakura to reflect on her goals.

With Christmas and New Year's coming up, she had a lot to think about and a lot to do before then. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd see Sasuke more than once over their break. And maybe, just maybe, her family would have a nice time and things would start to look up.

 _Maybe._


	18. eighteen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Soo, I've been having a lot of people ask if this is going to be a happy ending/are they going to get caught, so on and so forth. Yes, this story will have a happy ending, and that's all I'm saying! Anyway, enjoy some ss fluff cause I love them so much._

 _Let me know what you think, please and thank you ! I appreciate y'all taking the time to read, btw. It makes me happy and gives me butterflies lsdjfjkd._

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

* * *

"What're you doing here?"

He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her head. Sakura only smiled and breathed in his scent. Her arms came to wrap around him as well and when she glanced up to him, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"I needed that," she spoke between each kiss Sasuke gave her. "I came to see you, of course."

Sasuke pulled her into his home and kicked the door shut behind her. "Are you sure that's the reason?" His brow arched and Sakura nodded her head before standing to her tiptoes and begging for another kiss.

"Yes." Her grin became bigger on her face when he pressed one last kiss to her lips. "That, and I was home alone."

"You didn't bother calling this time?"

"Nah. I figured you were here when I saw your car."

"You walked all the way here?" His voice went from playful to stern, and his arms loosened on her body. Sakura only chuckled into his coat and hugged her arms around him tighter.

"Again, _yes_. Is that such a bad thing?"

"Well, no." He answered with a short shake of his head. "But it's freezing out and there's a shit ton of snow."

Sakura frowned at him now when she pulled away. "Just shush and kiss me, Uchiha-sensei."

Sasuke smirked, his dark locks falling in his face when he bent down once more. He held their kiss this time, and Sakura felt her pulse begin to race, her heart hammered against her chest as her fingers found their way to his hair.

"As long as it's not dark out…"

This time it was Sakura's turn to pull away. She removed her boots and her coat and walked right passed him and to the counter. She climbed up into one of the stools and patted the seat next to her, a small smile on her face as she found familiar dark eyes watching her.

"Come on," she beckoned.

He did as she asked and came to sit next to her. Sasuke glanced down at her, his lips in a firm line with his brows furrowed. "What's going on?"

"I figured we could talk for a bit." Sakura fumbled with her fingers on the counter, her viridian eyes glancing towards Sasuke. "About us."

"Hn," Sasuke turned his head towards her now, confusion glimmering in his eyes. The natural light from outside had faded, and the city lights now illuminated the walls in his home. While the kitchen light was on, it was just dark enough to set the mood for a long talk.

"What are we?" Sakura inquired.

"Human beings."

Her eyes were now narrowed at him, but a playful smile played on her lips. "You know what I mean, Sasuke."

He smirked before resting his head on his arms and looking deeply into her eyes. "I'm not sure."

Sakura nodded. It was the answer she had been expecting, because she had been telling herself that too. "Do you think that'll change?"

"Hn," Sasuke blinked a few times, thinking of her answer. "I'm sure it will."

Sakura felt herself smiling now, her viridian eyes darting away from his gaze and coming to rest on the toaster on the counter. Was she fucking crazy? She wasn't expecting that answer, but now she felt her body welling up with so much happiness that she could hardly breathe.

"That's if you want it to change, Sakura."

Of course she wanted it to change. "I need to get through school first," she muttered silently. "And I'm still underage. Does that not weird you out?"

Sasuke smirked this time before looking away as well. When Sakura glanced towards him, his hair fell loosely over his ears and nose.

"I just have this feeling that you were once mine in a past life. It sounds cheesy," his cheeks flushed in a shade of red, "but I'd have you any way I can."

"Do you believe in love, Sasuke?"

His head pulled up from his arms and his eyebrows raised slightly. His blush was no longer present, only wild dark eyes and a handsome face staring at her.

"Of course. Why?"

"I was just curious," Sakura murmured. Her eyes dropped their gaze and focused on the way his lips set when he started to think. "It's rare to find in the world anymore."

Their mood was now quiet and relaxed, Sakura staring at Sasuke's lips while he stared back into her adoring eyes. Their relationship was weird, hidden in a cloud of lies and forbidden. When Sakura felt the quiet around them start to sink in, she stood from her seat and made her way towards her jacket.

"I brought something for you!" She called back in his direction. It was almost like she could hear his disapproved grunt when she began to walk back towards him with a small box in her hand, wrapped in matte red wrapping paper and a white bow that whirled around it.

It was no larger than her hands, and when she handed it over to Sasuke, his brows furrowed and Sakura could only smile at him.

"What?" She asked sweetly.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed now when he plucked it front her fingers, and before he pulled the ribbon free, he glanced back to her jade eyes. "Why'd you get this for me?"

Sakura shrugged, "because I wanted to, of course."

"You didn't have to, Sakura."

Sakura's smile grew to a grin, and before he could stop her, she was wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing small kisses to his exposed neck. "Just open it," she murmured between each press, and when she pulled back to look at him, his devilish smirk presented itself on his lips and he no longer looked angry.

"It's not Christmas yet," he tried to argue, but Sakura's lower lip pouted out as she looked at him with an unamused look.

" _Sasuke_ ," she huffed out from behind swollen lips and red cheeks. "Fine. You can open it whenever you want, but as long as you open it."

Sakura still had her arms around his neck, a blush dusted her cheeks as she looked away from him, and before she knew it, his lips pressed to her cheek and his cinnamon scent washed over her like a wave.

"Do you plan on staying the night?" He asked quietly.

Sakura thought about her plans that night, and before she could reject his offer, she shrugged once more that night. "Only if you'll have me."

 _Wrong words_ , she thought to herself, but they were out there and she felt her body heat up immediately, embarrassment taking over everything. "I mean - if you want me to stay, I totally will!"

"Hn," Sasuke hummed, low and enticing. "I know what you meant." He placed one more kiss to her red cheek before untangling himself from her arms and walking to his bedroom.

Sakura could feel her awkward self burn up with heat as she groaned into her hands. Her hormones had been whack lately, and smooth, slow words like that undid her and caused her core to heat up almost immediately. It was a weird sensation, one she had yet to understand, but as Sasuke emerged from his bedroom, he now wore a black sweater and began to walk towards the front door.

"Come on," he called out to her. Sasuke no longer held her present in his hands, and as Sakura walked after him, she frowned.

"What are we doing?"

"Going out," he answered simply. He had his coat pulled over his arms and shoulders, his hands zipping it up and buttoning it to ensure warmth.

Sakura felt panic begin to course through her veins, but before she could disagree with him, she swallowed hard and felt her mouth dry out completely. "What if someone sees us?"

"Sakura," Sasuke started. "It's already late, really dark out, and plus it's snowing. No one will really be out. Besides, don't you want to do something other than hang out at my boring old place?"

"Well, I mean-"

"Just put your boots and jacket on."

Sakura's frown deepend now, her fingers fidgeting under his strong gaze, but she grabbed her coat from his hand and shrugged it on over her body. With her boots laced up and her hat placed over her pink hair, she glanced up at Sasuke and smiled.

.

.

.

The city was just like Sasuke had said. No one was out wandering the cold streets, but the cars continued to drive along the busy streets. The stores that lined every street had began to close - minus a few, and it seemed like Sasuke had one store in particular that he wanted to go to.

It was one thing to drive, concealing their bodies from the harsh cold air that winter had to offer. But Sasuke suggested walking that night, and while Sakura stayed close to his body, she thanked every star above their head that Sasuke had brought an umbrella.

"The snow is really coming down," Sakura commented from underneath their safe place.

Sasuke smirked before glancing in her direction and shaking the umbrella slightly. "That's why I have one of these."

Sakura tapped his arm with the back of her hand before shaking her head at his smartass comment. She wasn't exactly flustered, but she felt a light blush graze her cheeks. It felt nice to have a somewhat normal night out with Sasuke, although she still felt paranoia eat away at her, she finally let her hand cling to Sasuke's arm and let the umbrella hide her identity.

Her body felt as light as a feather the moment she hooked her arm through his, and let her other hand rest lightly on his hand. When her head came to rest on his arm, she caught his intoxicating scent in her sinuses and smiled.

"Where are we going?" She nearly spoke into the fabric of his jacket.

"Always impatient," Sasuke commented, a smirk gracing his lips as he lower the umbrella and shook it off. It closed the moment he willed it to, and while Sakura stood with parted lips and wide eyes, his hand pressed to the small of her back before guiding her into the building they had stopped in front of.

Her eyes hadn't caught sight of a sign, but from the moment they walked in, she was welcomed by the staff and her eyes fell on the many different donuts, breads, muffins, and every baked item she had ever seen.

"Coffee this late at night?" She asked with furrowed brows.

"Why not?" Sasuke asked before he pushed by her, his arm hooking hers and he towed her along behind him as he stopped at the front counter. "Two specials, hot and-" Sasuke's eyes glanced down into the glass case-

"Lemon bread," Sakura whispered from beside him.

"-and a slice of lemon bread."

"Coming right up," the older woman from behind the counter smiled, her hands getting to work and Sasuke pulled Sakura to a booth.

"Why here and why didn't you get a piece of bread?"

Sasuke only rolled his eyes before settling on his side of the table. "Again with the millions of questions?"

Sakura frowned at him but relaxed in the quiet atmosphere. There was no one else inside, only the couple of employees and calm jazz music playing overhead. When Sakura felt her phone vibrate from inside her pocket, she pulled it out and read the message from her mother.

 _Are you coming home tonight?_

Sakura pursed her lips before responding.

 _Not tonight. I love you._

She knew it would take her mom a few minutes to reply, but instead of her mother replying, a text from her dad appeared.

 _Love you, sweetie. If you need anything, give your mother or I a call._

Sakura's eyes grew soft at her message from her father. It was apparent that the two of them were currently in the same room, and as she sent her message, she smiled lightly.

 _Love you too._

"Something wrong?" Sasuke's deep voice broke her from her thoughts, causing her fingers to drop her phone and her eyes to find amused, dark orbs staring straight through her.

"Oh, no- just texts from my parents."

Oh?" His eyebrow raised, but before Sakura could explain, the barista came by with two cups of hot, bitter liquid and a slice of lemon bread like Sakura had ordered.

"Thank you!" The pinkette chirped, and as she took her first bite, she moaned at the taste. "That's so good."

Sasuke merely nodded his head before testing the temperature of his drink. The moment his lips touched the rim, the liquid came in contact and he took a small sip. He didn't speak his appreciation, he only glanced back towards Sakura with another smirk.

"I know why you ask so many questions."

Sakura felt the blood in her body drain, her core turn to ice as she watched him with horrified eyes, her thumbs twirling each other. "I'm just curious all the time. I like to learn."

"Hn," Sasuke muttered after taking another sip of his coffee. "Or it's because you get nervous. Do I make you nervous?" The way he held his face after asking made Sakura's heart thumpthumpthump in her chest, and when she shook her head, her teeth sunk into her lower lip and she couldn't hide her shy smile.

"Why would you make me nervous?" Sakura tried to cover up the fact that Sasuke had hit the nail on the head, but she couldn't escape his eyes.

"I'm not sure. Why would I?"

Sakura found that the bite she had just taken was harder to swallow than before, and the moment she reached forward to grab her drink and wash it down, Sasuke's hand came to rest on hers. She gulped down the piece and cleared her throat, her lips parted and her eyes watched as his fingers ran down her knuckles, softly stroking her skin.

"Would you tell me if I made you nervous, Sakura?"

A moment of only hearing her heart beat passed by, and finally she breathed out, "yes." Her skin was on fire from his touch.

"Good," he finished the topic and grabbed his drink before standing to his feet. "They're closing soon, so we should head back."

There was something different about the tone he used, and instead of arguing, Sakura stood from her feet and accompanied him out the door. The second they stepped outside, the snow was falling harder than it was before and Sasuke's umbrella was already fanned out and hovering above Sakura's head.

"I'll open the present when we get back." Sasuke spoke after moments of silence. Sakura now felt herself beaming up at him, her smile wide as it touched her eyes and Sasuke's smirk finally graced his lips once more. "But that's the last time you buy me something, okay?"

"Why?"

"Because." His only reason wasn't good enough for Sakura, but before she could ask 'why' again, he was stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, his cool lips pressed to hers. She felt hot, her cheeks flushed as she returned the kiss and leaned into his body.

Sasuke was warm and tall, his touch always welcome, and when he broke their kiss, his eyes held something different in them. She trailed after him in the cool winter night, snow covering her boots and her arm coming to link with his once more.

She felt safe - comfortable in the night next to Sasuke. If life could be like this all the time, then she'd be okay with that.


	19. nineteen

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Let me know what you think! Hope all you lovely people are having a great week, and if not, I love you and you're doing great! ouo_

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

* * *

Clothes, a new laptop, and tickets to an upcoming concert that Sakura had never heard of before. She absolutely loved all the gifts that she had received from her parents for Christmas, especially her new laptop in which she'll be needing for the following year.

"Thank you," she gushed with a wide smile and sparkling green eyes.

The decorations on the tree were beautiful, sparkling with white lights and hung with gold and silver tinsel. The glass balls that hung from each branch showed her reflection, and that was when she saw both of her parents smiling honestly at her. She felt like a real family again, and not something that was being masked while her parents continued on with their divorce.

"And thank you for the wonderful gifts," Mebuki cooed happily, hugging her new Fronana Maker with a huge grin. And for her father, she wasn't exactly sure what to get him, so instead of making an executive decision, she went with what Sasuke had recommended and got him a gift card to the store that they saw him in while in Old Konoha.

"I've been eying a new knife, might as well get it now," Kizashi grinned just like Mebuki. It pained Sakura to see her parents this happy, but it also made her glad to see their true and genuine smiles.

Life felt good.

After they picked up all the wrapping paper and cleaned the front room, Mebuki went on with making breakfast for the three of them while listening to soft Christmas music. Sakura had started up her laptop and began to click through the settings, making it just the way she wanted.

"Now there's rules you'll follow while you're under this roof, Sakura." Kizashi started, his unnatural and wild hair moving with the way that his body swayed with each step. He plopped down next to Sakura and watched as she typed and finished setting up her laptop. It took a few minutes, but once she was done, she closed it and slid it back into its case.

"Rules like what?" Sakura asked, her toned changed while her eyes glanced over at him.

Kizashi's lips pursed like he was thinking, but instead of giving her an answer, he shook his head. "Actually, nevermind. I think we can trust you," he patted her head softly before standing from his seat and heading towards Mebuki.

Sakura shrugged before she began to haul her stuff upstairs. After entering her room and hanging her clothes in her closet, she glanced at her phone and found a couple of messages. Two from Ino, one from Naruto, three from Karin and one from Sasuke.

Ino, Naruto and Karin had all wished her a Merry Christmas, and asked to hang out before winter break came to an end. Sakura smiled, feeling slightly guilty for putting both Naruto and Ino on the backburner while she spent time trying to figure out where to go in life.

The message from Sasuke was none other than a question in itself.

 _How much did you spend on this watch?_

Sakura smirked, imagining just how good Sasuke looked with it on and just how that familiar smirk would settle on his face.

 _Not telling._

She responded back. Her back hit her pillows as she held her phone above her head. Sakura waited for Sasuke's text back, and in no time, there it was.

 _Can you meet me later today?_

She chewed on her lip, considering his offer, but before she responded, she thought about her parents and the possibility of getting out of the house on Christmas day. She knew that they would do breakfast together, and then roam Old Konoha while listening to Christmas music and enjoying the lights and decorations, along with the parade that would prance down the main street.

Her brows furrowed at the thought.

 _When?_

Sakura glanced over at the new clothes in her closet, hoping that Sasuke would like them just as much as she did. Before she wandered deeper into thought, her phone buzzed and her eyes glanced at the screen.

 _Later tonight. I have things going on today, but I hope we can meet up. Merry Christmas._

She smiled now, replied and placed her phone back on her nightstand before heading downstairs towards the kitchen. The aroma of cooked bacon filled their house, causing her stomach to growl and as she placed her elbows on the kitchen counter and stared at her mom with wide eyes and a gentle smile, Mebuki shook her head.

"Before you ask, yes, it's ready."

.

.

.

The air was frigid and cold, much worse than last year, but the falling snow made up for the intense freezing temperatures. Sakura wandered through town with both her mother and father, enjoying all the lights and cute stores decorated with christmas lights and wreaths. The parade would be starting in another fifteen minutes, but instead of finding a spot and relaxing, they wandered to Konan's - Mebuki insisted - and began to fight the crowd in order to get cookies and some hot chocolate.

While her father had offered to go alone, both the ladies insisted that they would help, mainly to eye all the delicious sweets and baked goods. Sakura felt her mouth begin to water the second they walked through the door, but instead of basking in all the sweet goodness around her, her emerald eyes fell on a pair of dark eyes and raven locks that framed an aristocratic face.

She felt her skin undergo millions upon millions of goosebumps, chills traveled down her spine while her viridian eyes grew wide. Sakura could hardly feel her heart due to the heaviness it had undergone, and before she could bolt out of the building, her mother's beautiful eyes found her own.

"Oh," she muttered before her blonde brows furrowed. "Are you feeling okay, sweetie?" The back of her mother's hand pressed against her forehead before Sakura could shake her head and reassure her mother that everything was okay. "Darling, I don't think Sakura is feeling well."

Kizashi turned to find his daughter's eyes wide and her skin painted over white. She bit down into her bottom lip as hard as she possibly could, trying to figure out why Sasuke was here - not just here, but with another woman.

"Sakura?" Kizashi asked, his face now in front of hers while his blue-green eyes focused in on hers. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she answered as quickly as her body would allow her. She tried to avert her eyes, anywhere but looking at Sasuke. Not only has her father seen her around with Sasuke, but he'd definitely say something to the boy if it came down to it.

"Dad, can you go outside with me? I think there's just too many people in here." The lie fell from her lips and the way her father quickly nodded his head made her feel some relief.

"Sure thing. Darling, will you be okay?" He asked Mebuki, to which she smiled and nodded as well.

After leaving the building and feeling the fresh, brisk air hit her, Sakura suddenly felt ice surround her heart. She felt hot and annoyed, irritated that she had seen Sasuke out with another woman. Although she never saw the woman's face, she could tell by the petite frame and curling locks of black hair, that the woman was more than likely drop dead gorgeous.

Sakura frowned at the thought. When she exhaled through her nose, puffs of white steam came from her nostrils. Everything felt unclear, doubt began to fog her mind and if she had a moment of alone time, she'd probably be crying.

"You have some color to your skin now," her father mentioned from her right. Sakura spared a small smile before glancing back to the road that was blocked off. Preparations for the parade were now complete, and just when Sakura felt her mind ease back into its comfort zone, a familiar scent traveled through her sinuses.

She glanced over her shoulder and caught Sasuke's curious, dark eyes staring right at her. He and the mysterious woman were now walking away from her, and Sakura wasn't sure what hurt the most. Not being able to say something to him, or watch him walk away like he didn't seem to care. She tore her eyes away from him and glanced over at her father.

Her mind was in a whirlwind of thoughts now, and one that nagged at her was why was Sasuke wearing the watch she bought for him if he was going to be out and about with someone else?

"Here you go," Mebuki's cheerful voice broke through Sakura's bad mood and wandering thoughts, and alas, a warm cup filled with delicious smelling hot chocolate was placed in her hand. "Just in time too! The parade is starting."

With that, music sounded through the speakers along with voices from all the nearby spectators. Vehicles that were decorated and dolled up with dancers and singers drove by at a slow pace, smiling faces glancing from left to right and as happy as this event made Sakura, she couldn't help but let her heart sink to her stomach and hold her cup in her hand as her drink grew cold.

What a joyous Christmas.

.

.

.

 _Are you awake?_

The message came through at roughly nine-thirty at night, and instead of replying to his message, Sakura threw her phone back down on her bed and turned her music up. As much as she wanted to curl up in bed the entire day, she spent it side by side with her parents and let her fake smile paint her lips as she tried her hardest to be happy.

The thought of seeing Sasuke with another woman tainted her mind, put her in a bad mood and made her want to be completely shut off to her surroundings. Instead of remaining alone in her room, she shot Ino a text and asked her friend to start a Skype video chat. Alas, Ino agreed and within a matter of seconds, Sakura's lips were pulled up at the corners as Ino's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Forehead!" She nearly screeched, and instead of scolding her best friend, Sakura merely shook her head.

"Merry Christmas," she cooed with a quiet voice. She wasn't sure if her parents would be asleep yet, so she remained quiet throughout their conversation.

"Wanna go out with Naruto and I for a New Year's party next week? Karin can come too…" She added almost at the last second, and although partying was the last thing Sakura wanted, it was something she needed. Not the consumption of alcohol, but to be surrounded by her friends and good music.

"I don't see why not. It's been awhile," she agreed with a grin.

"Perfect. I don't have details, but Naruto should be telling me soon enough. Anyways, how have you been?"

"Fine," Sakura lied. "Busy with school work and scholarships."

"Boo," Ino chimed sarcastically. "Kidding. You have a lot of work to do if you want to be a doctor later on in life. Good for you, Forehead."

Sakura smiled at her friend's encouragement, and instead of letting the pain and anxiety eat away at her anymore that night, she felt somewhat better while she chatted away with Ino. It was now two in the morning, both girls hardly spoke a word now as they did their own thing here and there, but before long, they said their goodbyes and Sakura was stuck to her thoughts - alone and silence, two things she didn't want right now.

Before she got ready for bed, she checked her phone to find three more messages from Sasuke.

 _Sakura?_

Deleted.

 _I'm sorry if I upset you earlier, but you were with your parents and I couldn't stop._

Sakura scoffed at that one. Of course he couldn't stop, he was with another woman. She deleted that message and finally read the last of the three.

 _Please talk to me._

She had never seen this type of behavior from Sasuke, but instead of giving in, she turned her phone off for the night, flicked her light off on her nightstand closed her eyes.

Maybe it was for the best if her fling with Sasuke came to an end. After all, he was her teacher, and after all, it was apparent that he didn't care for her like she did him.


	20. twenty

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Sooo, I wrote another update cause you all have been such amazing and loyal people and I really do appreciate all of you. Much love at you guys for constantly asking about my well-being and just curious as to where I vanished off to! I hope you enjoy and seriously, thanks so much for all the feedback. I enjoy seeing what everyone has to say :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

* * *

"Thanks for helping out around the house." Kizashi grunted as he flung the snow from his shovel over his back. Sakura smiled as she did the same. Of course the gray clouds overhead decided to dump snow for three days straight, never giving up.

Sakura had helped her father around the house, shoveling snow from the driveway and from the sidewalk, or helped her mother with prepping dinner and keeping the house clean throughout the day. Eventually when the snow would quit falling and she'd run out of things to do. Even now with cleaning the house everyday, she was only sweeping and dusting imaginary dirt at that point in time.

She huffed and grunted one last time and she threw her last shovel full of snow. The driveway was now clear again - until tomorrow, that is - and she had nothing else to do that day. She enjoyed keeping her mind busy and preoccupied. Sakura stayed away from her phone as much as she possibly could lately, hating that her mind still focused on Sasuke as much as it did.

"Wanna grab a bite to eat?" Kizashi muttered from beneath his jacket as they walked inside. The snow from their boots fell to the porch, trying to hang on to the cold grasp from outside, but eventually began to melt when the heat from inside came oozing out.

"Where?" Sakura asked in return as she removed her beanie and began to undo her boots. Her hands were completely numb and her arms throbbed as she removed her jacket and inhaled deeply. It felt so warm and relaxing inside, all she wanted to do was take a nap now.

"We can go for bagels and hot chocolate down at the coffee house?" He offered with sincere eyes, and upon his offer, Sakura grinned and nodded her head. The bagels they made there were perfect, and they always put the perfect amount of cream cheese on them too.

Her father pulled his car out of the garage and the two of them began their way towards the little shop. It seemed that everyone else that lived on their street had began to shovel their driveways out as well, for all they could see were mounds of snow flying up in the air and over the snow berms.

Kizashi pulled right up in front of the shop, and as he hopped out, Sakura did as well. She could already smell the banana bread, donuts, bagels and every other baked good that awaited her from the inside. When they walked in, she inhaled the sweet, savory flavors and exhaled slowly.

"It always smells great in here," she pointed out as they headed towards the front counter.

"Two hot chocolates and two bagels." Kizashi ordered while he waved Sakura off to find a booth. The coffee house was typically overflowing with people after Christmas, but this time around, there seemed to be less than usual.

Sakura scooted into an open booth and pulled her phone from her pocket. She had been expecting a text from Ino, seeing as tomorrow night they'd be attending a New Year's party. The only message she saw made her frown while her pulse began to throb.

It was another message from Sasuke, and as much as she wanted to tell him to kick rocks, she also wanted to see his gorgeous face.

 _Can you call me?_

She pursed her lips before typing her response. She felt both nervous and excited to talk to him after it being a week without speaking. She craved his touch and to hear his voice, but she was also still disgusted with the fact that she didn't know who exactly he had been with.

 _When I have time._

She kept her words short and stern, and by the time she finished placing her phone back in the pocket of her jacket, her father was walking to their table with their drinks in his hands. "They're warming up the bagels, they'll be right out."

Sakura didn't like the way his teal eyes watched her, and instead of asking him what he was doing, he was the first to speak. "Everything okay?"

Sakura nodded as she took her cup from his hand. The porcelain was warm from the liquids inside, and before she took a drink, she decided it best to let it cool off a bit longer.

"You just seem out of sorts lately." His eyes finally averted from her gaze as he looked out the window. It was a complete winter wonderland. "How's the boy you've been talking to lately?"

"Um," Sakura stuttered. "Fine."

Kizashi's eyebrow arched at her answer; he clearly didn't believe her. Instead of pushing the subject, he sighed and leaned forward until his forearms held his weight and his fingers intertwined with one another.

"I can tell when you're lying."

Sakura should've known that. Her father might've been an odd character, but he always paid attention to the little things in life. She didn't want to ask 'why' because she knew what she did when she lied. Instead of looking someone straight in the eyes and lying, she'd look to the center of their forehead and concentrate on that spot.

"Why does it matter?" She asked before she took a drink. "It's just a silly, not really official relationship. Just a thing, it shouldn't matter." It took all she had to convince herself of that, but on the inside, she could feel her heart growing heavy while a lump appeared in her throat.

The two of them fell quiet afterwards, and just in time for one of the employees to bring them each a bagel with cream cheese. Kizashi ate his almost as quickly as Sakura did, and before they knew it, they were each sitting on their own side of the table, staring each other in the eyes.

"I know it's something you shouldn't talk your father about, but I'm just concerned about my daughter." He spoke once more, and Sakura knew that that would be the last of that conversation.

Sakura nodded her head, grabbed her cup and they began to walk out of the building side by side. Maybe she'd get ahold of Karin and spend the rest of the day with her.

.

.

.

"I hate snow." She spoke from behind Sakura. Karin had wanted to practice braids, and with Sakura's hair growing longer with each passing month, she was perfect to practice on. The redhead had finished a cute, lopsided fish tail with Sakura's pastel tresses. Quiet music played from her laptop nearby, and when Sakura stood from her floor, she flopped down beside Karin on her bed.

"How was your Christmas?" Sakura asked with a quiet tone. Karin didn't respond right away, instead a low grumble came from her throat which caught Sakura's attention.

"It was alright," she murmured before letting her ruby eyes find Sakura's eyes. "Not a lot happened."

She wasn't sure what to say now, but instead of continuing with that topic, Sakura rolled to her back and sighed. "Mine was alright. We had breakfast, went to the parade and then just wandered through Old Konoha-"

"Is it pretty there?"

"Old Konoha?" Sakura's slender brow raised in question.

Karin nodded in silence.

"Yes. Especially during spring time. The cherry blossoms start to bloom and it's one of my most favorite things to go to. There's a festival and lots to do! You've never been?" Sakura readjusted in her bed so she could see Karin's entire face; pale yet gorgeous. The curves that formed her cheeks was something every girl envied, and even the way her hair fell was something unique yet satisfying.

"Well when it starts up, maybe we can go." Most times kids would gather for the fair that would take place in town, while couples would go and enjoy the romantic views from the hill tops. Either way, it was an event that the entire town would attend, and it was always _huge_.

"I'd like that," Karin responded with hard eyes and a gentle smile. Sometimes it was hard for Sakura to get through to her, but in the end, she enjoyed her time with the Uzumaki. While the two girls conversed in Sakura's room and somewhat watched a movie on Sakura's laptop, she felt her phone vibrate from her nightstand and when she grabbed it, she noticed Sasuke's codename light up on the screen.

"What?" Karin asked, her tone firm and eyes narrowed slightly.

Sakura glanced up at Karin, her lips parted and viridian eyes wide with curiosity. "Oh? It's nothing!"

"That's not nothing. You're blushing, Pinky." Karin's gentle smirk came to rest on her lips, and while Sakura felt vulnerable underneath her fiery gaze, she refused to give in.

"I always blush," Sakura muttered underneath her breath before she opened the text. It was a little after ten at night now and she still hadn't called Sasuke. It wasn't like she had promised that she would call him today, she only said when she had time that she would call him.

 _Sleep well, Sakura._

It was plain and simple, unlike Sasuke who was such a mystery but there was just something about him that drew Sakura in and she just couldn't put her finger on it. No matter what she did or where she went, he was always on her mind or popping up in front of her. It was odd, but she also found it appealing in some sort of weird way. She shrugged the thought off before putting her phone to the side.

"Did Ino ever get ahold of you?" Sakura changed the subject, trying to distract her mind and rid the dusted shade of red from her cheeks.

"About the party tomorrow?" Karin grinned. "She did. It'll be rad!"

Sakura smiled at Karin. Her eyes had come to life and that wide smile made Sakura feel butterflies in her stomach. It wasn't always that the redhead would smile like that, but when she did, it made Sakura feel something like fire coarse through her veins.

"It shall." Sakura agreed.

.

.

.

"Pancakes, sausage, eggs and hashbrowns for breakfast, girls!" Mebuki called up the stairs.

Sakura was hardly awake when her mother's familiar voice rang through her ears. To her surprise, both her and Karin had fallen asleep on her bed while her laptop still played through a random show that came on automatically. She exited out of the Hulu app, turned her laptop off and placed it in its case. Soon, her hand came to rest on Karin's shoulder.

"Hey, you hungry?" She spoke in a groggy voice. Sakura gently shook her friend awake, and when she finally caused Karin to stir, the redhead's fiery eyes tried to focus in on Sakura. It didn't occur to her just how different she looked without her glasses on.

"I could eat," she returned as she placed her glasses on over her nose and began to sit up. They both made their way down stairs with cautious steps and sleepy eyes, only to be greeted by a stack of pancakes, white porcelain plates and the overwhelming scent of black coffee.

"There's plenty there, so eat up!"

After all four of them finished up with their breakfast, they began to take their plates to the sink before rinsing the syrup and grease from their plate and placing them in the dishwasher.

"Do you two have any plans tonight?" Kizashi asked from the kitchen table. His face had been stuck in the newspaper the entire time throughout breakfast, and when he finally lowered it, Sakura scoffed at the fact that he had been reading the morning comics.

"Really, dad?" Sakura smiled as her eyes fell to the page. He shrugged before she rolled her eyes playfully. "We're going out with Ino and Naruto. Not sure when yet."

"Well just let us know. If you need a ride, you call us. Got it?" Mebuki's tone was firm, her eyes serious and hardened over with that motherly look that Sakura was all too familiar with.

"Of course," Karin chimed in with a small smile.

.

.

.

Like usual, Naruto picked all the girls up and they all piled in his car and he drove them off to the location for the party. To Sakura's surprise, it was closer to downtown Konoha and extremely close to Sasuke's condo. Being that close to him caused Sakura's heart to race, but instead of dwelling, she sunk back into her conversation with her friends.

She had picked a black dress that was fitting and very casual for the night. It came to hug against the middle of her thighs, and even Karin had commented that it wasn't too long, yet it wasn't too short. With a shrug, she slipped on a pair of black ankle high heels and found some jewelry that would go along with it; the dark gray cardigan that Karin pulled out of her closet matched her heels, and within seconds, she was ready for the night.

Karin redid her hair that night as well, braiding it down the side, clipping her bangs to the side while Sakura curled her rose quartz locks, letting each strand fall with a bounce. Karin allowed Sakura to curl her hair as well, taming the red locks of hair that inhabited her head.

With each girl all dolled up and looking cute for the night, they were now in the car and pulling up to the selected party house for the night.

"This is it?" Karin asked from the backseat, next to Sakura.

"It might not look like much, but it's killer on the inside!"

"Who's house?" Ino asked.

"Sai's. You know Sai," Naruto jabbed at her with a shit eating grin. Ino playfully punched his arm before turning around and facing Sakura and Karin.

"Alright girls. Who's going to be your New Year's kiss?" Ino's smile was dangerous and it made Sakura's stomach somersault just thinking about it. Neither of them answered, which caused Ino to frown and roll her eyes. "Fine. Mine is definitely going to be Sai."

Her baby blue eyes shot back to Naruto, dangerous and wild as he shrugged and shook his head. "I could've told them that."

"Whatever, Loudmouth! Let's go."

Sakura laughed at her friends and exited through her door. The four of them embraced the cool night air as they began to walk down the road. It was always like Naruto to park a couple blocks away - in case of cops. Tonight would be different, Sakura thought. They ever partied this close to downtown, and as they walked up on the entrance to Sai's house, they were greeted by his fake, eerie smile and dark orbs.

"Welcome," he greeted and casually stepped aside. "I see you've got a lot going on for you tonight, Naruto. You sure you can handle all of them at once?"

Ino laughed louder than she had meant to, and Sakura scoffed. Karin's face flushed completely red, a darker shade than her hair as they walked through the door. Naruto on the other hand had his hands balled into fists while his azure eyes burned with anger.

"You bastard."

While the front room looked like a complete masterpiece, there was nobody around. No music, no drinks, no food, nothing. Sakura took in her surroundings, memorizing the staircase that led upstairs and how the kitchen was located just off the front room.

"We'll be downstairs." Sai answered casually, and with that, he led the way from the front door and towards a door that was located farther back in the house. It was completely blowing Sakura's mind that she still hadn't heard a single voice or sound of music, but the second Sai opened the door, a staircase was revealed, and the faint pounding of bass sounded through her ears.

"These walls are really soundproof, eh?" Karin asked before rasping her knuckles against the wooden walls.

"That's what happens when you grow up in a family of artists."

The five of them began their adventure down the stairs and through another room about the size of the entry way. Alas, when Sai opened the door, they were in a large basement and welcomed by flashing, strobe lights and thunderous music. The amount of people that filled the room amazed Sakura, and one by one, they began to file in.

"This is amazing!" Ino cooed from beside Sai. He simply nodded before pointing towards the bar that resided on the left side of the room.

"Alcohol is over there. If we run out, then we run out."

His monotone voice was finally drowned out by all the different noises, and one by one, the four of them began to drink their drinks. Time began to fly by with each drink that Sakura downed, and instead of trying to relax and enjoy the party, she felt her heart throb with more pain after every drink.

By the time eleven-thirty rolled around, she felt absolutely exhausted. Her feet hurt from all the walking around and dancing that their small group had been doing, and instead of withstanding the pain, she resorted to quieter place and began to rub out her aching feet.

"Everything okay?" A deep, raspy voice sounded from behind her.

Her eyes could hardly make out who it was, but instead of answering, she scoffed. "Everyone seems to be asking that lately. It's getting annoying." She had loose lips thanks to the alcohol and she immediately regretted her bitchy comment.

"Well, you're over here and not with the party. Plus you're rubbing your feet."

"Who even are you?" Sakura dropped her foot from her lap and turned to the find the mysterious voice. She had heard it somewhere before, and to her surprise, it belonged to Kiba. "Oh."

His toothy smirk sent chills down her spine, and the way his dark brown eyes settled on her made her cheeks heat with a blush.

"Feeling sassy tonight?" He teased lightly. Sakura only scoffed once more before she rolled her eyes. Although she had never really talked to Kiba, it was nice to converse with someone in a somewhat quiet and relaxed atmosphere. Even with the slight sting of alcohol coursing through her veins, she felt her body begin to relax in Kiba's presence.

"It's just been a rough week." It was the first time she had answered someone with complete and utter honesty, and to almost a complete stranger. Again, alcohol seemed to have that effect on her, causing her to do things without thinking them through first.

"I feel ya," Kiba grinned while he scratched the back of his head. "Say, I see you around at parties but never actually have the time to talk. Crazy, right?"

"That, or you're just trying to get lucky tonight." Sakura smiled at her 'sassiness' and watched as Kiba's eyes widened and his cheeks glowed with a faint tint of red.

"No, that's not-"

"Chill! I'm only kidding," Sakura giggled. When she slipped her heels back on over her feet, she stood to meet his standing form and offered a gentle smile. "I'll see you around." With that, Sakura made her way back towards Ino, Naruto and Karin and greeted them with an ear to ear grin.

"Hooking up with Kiba?" Ino shouted over the music.

"Hell no," Sakura laughed back. The last thing she wanted tonight was to think about guys and their silly ways. Her heart still throbbed for Sasuke after all, and if she was going to be hooking up with any guys, it would be him. But she had sworn him off, due to his selfish and arrogant ways, now here she was, at another party with her friends and a potential guy that had taken interest in her.

Sakura had decided that she was done with drinking after her talk with Kiba. The last thing she wanted was for something to happen and internally destroy her life and draw her down. Although she had her friends there with her and they would never let anything happen to her, Sakura didn't want them to have to put their night on hold just to babysit their little pink haired friend.

It was only five minutes away from midnight now, and while the music continued to blare on, Sakura began to exit the room and climb the steps up to the main floor of Sai's home. She immediately vanished through the front door and out into the fresh midnight air. People continued to scatter the streets, and it was only a matter of a couple minutes before the countdown started and lips began to lock on one another.

Sakura exhaled hard as she took a seat on the concrete steps and hugged her arms around her body. Her curled locks fell down in front of her face as she leaned over and concentrated on the snow that lined the streets. Everything felt cold around her now as she melted into the cool air. Finally, she could hear yelling from down the street, each voice counting down from ten and it echoed throughout the tall buildings and car filled streets.

She smiled to herself and acknowledged that this upcoming year would be her time to shine. She would move out of her parent's home, start college and eventually meet a new guy that wouldn't go against her trust. Sakura finally felt her eyes start to burn as tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She refused to cry, refused to give in to the sadness in her heart, and it was when she heard the final number echo throughout the street that her phone began to ring violently.

"Hello?" She answered immediately without looking at the caller ID.

 _"Sakura,"_ his voice gasped into the phone. Her heart was in her throat, hearing his voice sound so panicked, yet the way he spoke her name sounded all too slurred and it stirred worry in her stomach.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" She asked immediately. Sakura was no longer sitting, but she was on her feet and pacing back and forth. The cold air no longer had an effect on her as she bit her lip and waited for his answer.

 _"Come here."_

She frowned at his response. "Where are you?" She asked once more, her tone firm and voice low and hard. There was something wrong with the way he spoke, and as much as Sakura hated the fact that he had called and she had answered, she needed to face him and figure out what exactly was wrong with him. Whether he was lying in the street hurt somewhere or lost, there was something wrong with his voice.

 _"The bar by my home. I want to go home-but I'm so-"_

His voice cut off, as did his phone. The call dropped and Sakura felt immediately sick to her stomach. She was no longer pacing around in front of Sai's home, but running down the slick and icy sidewalks.

Viridian eyes began to scan for the building that Sasuke's home resided in, and the second she found it, she began to search her surroundings for a bar and for a guy that was stumbling around outside.

"Fucking hell, Sasuke." She cursed to herself. Of course, the one night that he called her was on New Year's when plenty of people roamed the streets at midnight. This was going to be near impossible, but whenever it was Sakura that needed help, he was almost always there immediately.

Her heeled feet carried her down the busy streets, and although many men had made rather vulgar and disgusting comments towards her, she continued her search for Sasuke. Bar after bar, stranger after stranger, she searched everywhere. Sakura finally glanced at her phone and felt her stomach flip upside down when she saw that time had been ticking by. It was now twelve-forty-five and still no sign of Sasuke.

Sakura was now almost to his building, and finally she found him. His back was leaned up against the building while he sat on the cold, hard ground and came to rest his head on the wall. He looked exhausted, almost like he was sleeping when Sakura ran up to him.

"What the hell, Sasuke!" She started, her eyes wide and her chest heaving with anger when she was nearly to him. His head snapped in her direction and she couldn't see those dark, alluring eyes that she had grown all too familiar with, but the second she marched right up to him, she had her finger poked into his chest while tears rimmed her eyes.

"I thought you were fucking hurt or something happened to you! You can't just do that. You can't just tell me to come here and tell me you're somewhere that you're not! You can't just-"

Sasuke's arms had come to wrap around her, his lips pressing to hers all too fast and her mind was now in a whirlwind of thoughts. His scent surrounded her, she could taste the alcohol on his tongue the second it slipped passed her lips, and the way his body felt against hers was everything she wanted, everything she needed - just not now.

Sakura pulled away, and Sasuke stopped. Instead of continuing what he wanted to do, he exhaled deeply and allowed his eyes to close. In the dark of the night, under the light that provided light to the residents that lived in the building, they stood in silence and comfort in one another's arms.

His head rested against hers, while her arms wrapped around his waist. Sakura could hardly breathe, but with Sasuke safe in her arms, she finally inhaled, then exhaled her relief.

"I was so scared," she muttered, "don't do that ever again."


	21. twenty one

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _updateupdateupdate. love you all, hope you enjoy!_

 _ **ps** \- thanks for all the lovely reviews and kind words. they make my day/night/week/month/year! i really do appreciate them and i love hearing from you all. :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

* * *

Cotton felt sheets covered her body, the soft yet cozy comforter lying loosely over her chest as she began to open viridian eyes. Everything in that familiar room was exceptionally white, and everything in her line of sight was absolutely perfect.

Sakura turned her head slightly, the pillow moving under her weight as she looked at Sasuke's form next to her. His eyes were closed softly, his breathing soft and peaceful as he continued to sleep beside her. The way his ruffled and messy hair fell in an artfully beautiful way made her lips curl at the corners, and as much as she wanted to reach over and run her fingers through his hair, she stayed put and watched him in his most peaceful moments.

The minutes seemed to have ticked away the longer she looked at him, but before she could allow her body to go back to a peaceful slumber, her stomach gurgled.

It had been hours since the last time she ate, remembering that dinner the night before seemed like a decade away. Instead of staying in bed next to Sasuke, Sakura carefully slipped over the edge of the bed and began to make her way towards his kitchen. The air in his condo unit was chilly, but the moment Sakura started up the stove and began to fish a pan from the cupboards was when she started to heat up.

She'd make a simple breakfast for the two of them: scrambled eggs with cheese, a slice of toast and a glass of orange juice. It didn't take long at all to mix the eggs with milk, cook it up to the texture she preferred, and once the cheese melted, she inserted toast in the toaster and waited for it to pop. Sakura moved with ease around his kitchen, wearing only a large t-shirt that belonged to Sasuke, along with a pair of cotton shorts that she had left behind months ago.

Once the toast came up from the toaster and the butter was melting into the crispy bread, Sakura tiptoed her way back to Sasuke's bedroom. He was still sound asleep, but rolled over on the opposite side as before. Sakura smirked, her eyes melting a shade darker as she wormed her way under the sheets and right up against his backside.

His bare skin against hers felt entirely too inviting. The thought of his hands on her body, his hips pressed against her with her back being pushed into the mattress sent shivers down her spine. Sakura shook the images from her mind, her breaths coming hot and fast against his back.

When Sasuke's body tensed under her touch, she knew he was awake. His head rotated slightly, his dark eyes glanced back at her before he let his head drop and a low groan escaped from the base of his throat.

"Morning," he murmured. It was hardly audible as his face had been pushed back into his fluffy pillow. Sakura only gigged before she nuzzled his spine with her nose, her face coming into contact with the canyon between his shoulder blades. She could feel the goosebumps on his skin arise as she blew a stream of cold air down his back.

"I made breakfast if you're hungry." His back arched as her words vibrated against his body. She found amusement in the way he moved, but instead of basking in what she had just discovered, she pointed it out. "I didn't know you were ticklish."

"I'm not," he groaned once more. "What time is it?"

Sakura released his body and rolled over to the nightstand on her side of the bed. She wasn't quite sure why Sasuke had a queen sized bed, but she didn't mind it. There was enough space for her to curl up on her own side, while leaving enough space for Sasuke.

After checking her phone, she had realized that a number that she hadn't saved in her phone texted her a few times. Instead of going through all the messages she had received that night, she turned back and laid on her back. Sasuke rotated in bed once more, his sleepy eyes landing on Sakura as he blinked slowly, his pupils still trying to adjust to the light.

"It's almost ten."

"Hn," he grumbled. "Too early." His arm came to wrap around Sakura's flat stomach, pulling her closer to his warm body as he pressed three small kisses to her cheek. She could still smell the alcohol that lingered on his tongue from the night before, causing her stomach to curl with horrible memories.

She swallowed hard before pulling away slightly and turning to look at him. Sakura still needed to get answers from Sasuke - like who was that girl he was with on Christmas?

"What?" Sasuke's brows furrowed and his slightly opened eyes narrowed. His sleepy, groggy voice made this ten times harder.

"When I saw you on Christmas-" she started but couldn't quite form the words. One of his brows raised while he propped his head up on his hand, his elbow balancing his weight. The smell of cinnamon and roaring fires fanned over Sakura, causing her cheeks to flush pink. "Who were you with?"

His god damned gorgeous smirk surfaced, his dark, obsidian eyes glowing with interest. "I knew it," he muttered from under his breath.

It was Sakura's turn to sit up and eye him. She could feel those anxious butterflies flutter lightly in her stomach, while her fingers began to tremble.

"It was my mother," he chuckled.

Now her entire face was illuminated with that pink blush. Her ears burned, the corners of her eyes had been pricked by tears while she swallowed hard. Sakura balled her hands into fists, trying to make her mind focus while her nails bit into the palms of her hands. How could she be so stupid? Of course it was his fucking mother, who else?

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was small and quiet, her eyes staring up at the ceiling now as she let her weight fall back to the bed. Sasuke's low scoff didn't go unnoticed, neither did the way he pulled himself over her, his body pressed against hers as he looked into her eyes.

Sakura was a complete mess; cheeks flaring up pink while her teeth dug into her bottom lip. What made things worse was when he pressed tender kisses to her jawline, tracing the bone until he reached her earlobe. Sakura exhaled, nearly groaned as he sucked it in and released it almost as quick.

"Next time, ask me. I don't like when you quietly brood," he spoke against her skin, pressing small, gentle kisses to her revealed neck. "It's _annoying_."

Sakura scoffed before pushing him off and grinning at him. "Breakfast has been ready, just so you're aware." The look that flashed in his eyes made her lower body heat up, her stomach curling with satisfaction.

Sasuke still had his body against hers, his soot colored eyes shimmering with something Sakura was unsure of, but instead of going against her words, he leaned up and crawled out of bed. His black boxers hung low on his hips as he made his way towards his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats. Sakura had to look away, avert her eyes anywhere but the hard, chiseled body of his.

He flashed her one more smirk before walking around to her side of the bed and escorted her from his room. The breakfast that sat on the counter was now clearly cold, and to Sakura's surprise, Sasuke threw their plates in the microwave and heated them up.

"Did you put cheese on the eggs?" He asked as the microwave beeped.

Sakura nodded her head as she took a seat at the counter, her legs dangling over the edge. He placed her plate on the counter in front of her and took his seat next to her.

"Are you ready for winter break to be over?" Sakura teased lightly as she took her first bite. The bags under Sasuke's eyes painted his skin with a deep purple, while he looked ten times paler than normal. It was obvious that he was hungover, but great at hiding it.

Sasuke shook his head before glancing at her. "Are you?"

"No." She answered quickly. "But I'm ready to graduate from school, so I'll go."

"Good."

.

.

.

"Welcome back, my amazing students! As a gift to all of you, we'll be running the mile today to warm up your limbs and get you all back into shape." Gai smiled as he gave his class a thumbs up. Ino and Karin groaned loudly by Sakura's side, while the pinkette simply nodded and grinned. She was ready to get some exercise in after a long, drawn out break.

She ran her first mile with ease that day, beating her personal record and finishing at the top of all the girls. Sakura had even beaten out some of the guys, which she beamed with joy after her class. She showered the sweat from her skin and hair, rinsing quickly and getting dressed and ready for her next class.

School had been going well for her during her first week back. Things were chill and relaxed - despite Gai's attempt to get his class back into shape - but winter break typically had its toll on all the teachers as well. Either they would be nearly asleep by the time the last class rolled around, or they would assign silent studies to their students.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was full blown exhausted when it came to returning back to school. The bags under his eyes never eased, and no matter how much sleep he had got the night before returning, he still felt exhausted and restless - he was easy to read now. Sakura sat in her seat while Naruto talked to her, but she kept her eyes on their teacher. Sasuke's dark eyes looked unamused as he clicked through their roll call on his computer, but when he glanced out to his class - his nose scrunched up while his eyes squinted - Sakura smiled slightly.

"Why doesn't he get glasses?" Naruto asked Sakura, to which she only shook her head.

"Because I don't need them." Sasuke's answer had the entire class turning in their seats to look at Naruto, most snickering quietly while Sasuke closed out of the roll call program and stood from his desk.

Naruto stuttered silently before resting his face on his hand and looking out the window. Sakura smiled at her friend's embarrassment, but she also smiled at the fact that Sasuke was taking to joking around with some of his students finally.

The moment he came around and leaned against his desk, Sakura could no longer concentrate. She was lost in the way his clothes hugged his body, and just how handsome his body was beneath all of them, too.

"Sakura-"

She blinked a couple of times, and when she came back to herself, she noticed that Sasuke had said her name and she had one hundred percent dozed off in his class. "What?"

"Did you finish your paper?" He asked, that ghost of a smirk resting on his thin lips. She frowned slightly, trying to remember just exactly what paper he had assigned them before break, but her mind was panicking and her hands were beginning to sweat.

A couple of her classmates had their eyes on her now, brows raised with question and before she could lie and say she completed it, Sasuke smirked.

"Don't doze off. We didn't have a paper."

 _Damn him_. She thought to herself before frowning at Sasuke. Her cheeks were glowing while her fingers played with the hem of her skirt. Sasuke went back to talking and going over the next lesson with his class while Sakura sulked in her desk, yet she listened to what he was saying. Class passed by rather quickly the moment she quit staring at him like he was eye candy, and after he dismissed them all, she closed her books and placed them in her bag.

His eyes were all too alluring when she began to walk away, but when she stopped in her place and turned to look at him, he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

Sakura waited for the rest of the students to exit, and once they were the only ones in the room, she closed the door gently and dropped her bag. Her heart was racing, but she couldn't resist those inviting eyes and handsome smirks he had been giving her throughout the entire hour. School was over now and students would be fleeing from the building; not Sakura, though. She was taking slow, graceful steps towards Sasuke while she ran her fingers over each desk until she reached his.

Sasuke stood a head taller than her, but when she approached him, she felt bigger and taller than she actually was.

"Why'd you do that?" She asked innocently.

His arms came to rest over his chest as he crossed them. "Because you need to pay attention in my class."

"So," she started, her eyes looking up at him from beneath thick lashes. "You made me look dumb."

His facial features softened at that and Sakura had him just where she wanted him. The room was quiet, only the hum of his monitor filling the atmosphere and their silent breaths of anticipation. Sakura reached for him, her small hand grasping his tie as she pulled him to her. His lips came to land on hers, hard and passionate while she returned it. He felt so good there, their lips molding and forming perfectly against one another, but when he ran his fingers up the side of her thigh gently, she felt her skin tingle under his touch.

Sasuke was the first to pull away, yet his hand remained on her hip. "Not here."

Sakura smiled and nodded before turning away from him. She readjusted her skirt and smoothed her hair back down before walking away faster than she had walked towards him. Sakura had been _craving_ to feel his lips on hers the entire day, and now that she had, she could go home and study in peace.

Ino, Naruto and Karin had been waiting in the commons when Sakura caught up to them, and like old times, they began to walk home together.

.

.

.

That night at the Haruno household had been peaceful and nice. Kizashi said he had been offered a new job, making it easier for him to stay at home since it resided out of Old Konoha. Mebuki had been in a better place, including her mindset and as far as Sakura knew, her parents were beginning to work through things. Even Sakura's relationship with her father had began to improve over the course of the month.

After the three of them finished a home cooked meal made by Sakura, Kizashi leaned back with a content sigh.

"That was great, sweetie."

Sakura smiled at his compliment before picking up the dishes and beginning to wash them. Mebuki had been going through emails on her phone, and when she stopped on one and glanced to Sakura, she smiled.

"I wasn't aware that you had a parent teacher conference coming up."

Sakura shrugged her shoulders, contemplating if it was even worth it, considering her grades were excellent and she wasn't having any problems at school. "They haven't mentioned anything to us."

"Well we would be happy to go and talk with your teachers and see how you're doing, dear." Mebuki's smiled became brighter before she turned around and continued to scroll through her phone.

Sakura pursed her lips as she finished the last of the dishes and came around the counter to stop in front of her parents. "I'm gonna go shower and finish my homework. I'll probably go straight to bed tonight."

They both nodded, wished her good night and the moment Sakura entered her room and placed her bag on her bed, she felt relieved. Long days at school after a well needed break were the worst, most exhausting days in her young life.

She made her way towards the bathroom, stripped out of her casual clothes that she had changed into the second she got home and began to run water for her shower. The scalding water felt good against her cool skin, and as she let her head fall back into the running water, it was then that it hit her.

"Fuck!" She screamed, her mind going into a complete panic as she had finally made out what her mother said earlier.

They couldn't go and talk to Sasuke - Kizashi had seen them in Old Konoha together. This wasn't good, this wasn't good, _this wasn't good._

She finished up her shower in a hurry, towel dried her hair as quickly as she possibly could and booked it to her room. Her soft robe hugged her damp body as she dug around in her bag for her phone. The second her fingers found the familiar block, she scrolled to Sasuke's name and began to type.

Her heart was beating all too fast, her stomach in her throat while she was struggling with breathing. She couldn't get her viridian eyes to settle, as tears had began to stream freely the moment she sent the text off.

 _We have a problem._


	22. twenty two

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

* * *

Throughout the week, Sakura got little to no sleep, she had absolutely no appetite and suffered from constant paranoia. It was like Sakura could feel her skin crawling on her body while her eyes remained wide and alert, refusing to look away from someone for fear that they'd figure out all of her secrets.

"Hey, Forehead-" Sakura's head whipped around at her voice. "Woah, chill!"

Sakura was met by Ino's icy eyes and concerned facial expression. As much as she wanted to relax, Sakura didn't like the look on her friend's face or the way she held her hands up. Instead of turning and walking away, she swallowed hard and looked back down at her work.

"You left so quickly and without a word, I followed you here." Ino was now frowning as she took her seat across from Sakura in her booth. The pinkette simply cupped her belongings with her arm and scooted it over for Ino and her drink of choice.

"I have a lot of work," she muttered beneath her breath before looking up. "Anything else?"

Ino remained quiet for a moment longer than Sakura had liked, but before she spoke, she placed a cold hand on top of Sakura's.

"Look," she started with a low voice, "I'm not sure what's really going on inside that head of yours, but you're really concerning me. First, we were all good and chill like best friends should be. Then you started acting weird and cold towards Naruto and I out of nowhere. On top of all of that? You befriend Karin and become great friends with her - I have nothing against her, I like her now - but you're just not you anymore. What's going on?"

Ino stopped and stared at Sakura, her blue eyes set in a way Sakura had never seen before. It hurt Sakura, pained her to see her best look at her like that. Sakura pulled her hand away from Ino's grasp and intertwined her fingers. Her mind was now caught in a trance, unsure of what to do, what to say.

She finally inhaled deeply before letting her gaze drop to the table in between them. Her papers for scholarships were scattered everywhere in front of her, little notes jotted down on a scratch piece of paper, and along with it, Sasuke's name doodled in messy handwriting.

"I'll tell you what's going on. Ino, I swear though, this stays between us." Sakura's tone was firm, her eyes hard while her brows furrowed. She was dead serious, she would _never_ talk to Ino again if this got out. Sakura could hardly comprehend what was going on in her mind now. Her fingers were trembling, her arms and knees shaking. She felt like she could fall over sideways out of the booth and clash against the wooden floors in a heartbeat, but Ino's reassuring grasp on her hand once more anchored her down.

"You have my word."

Sakura closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "The guy I've been seeing-" she paused, thinking about going back and changing her mind, but she couldn't. Her stomach was twisted in tiny little knots, taught and aching. Ino's brows lifted slightly, concern coating her face. "Is Uchiha-sensei."

.

.

.

"What are you going to do, Sakura?"

Ino had to literally drag Sakura from the coffee shop and to her house. Sakura felt her body weigh down with so much regret and she could only feel the vomit sit in the base of her throat. She felt absolutely nauseous and anxious, and she could hardly even stand anymore. When they reached Ino's home, they waved their hello to Inoichi and went straight to Ino's room.

Sakura's eyes stared at her feet as she brought her knees to her chest and hugged her legs.

"I don't know, Ino." She hissed with anger. "That's what I've been trying to fucking figure out and I'm so lost and scared. I have these feelings for him and I'm scared. I don't want him to get in trouble, but I feel so many feelings for him that it sometimes physically hurts me when I can't see him.

"I cry almost every night. I struggle with even looking at my parents, school is awkward, and I just want to leave. I'm so done with everything, I feel like my life is crashing down all around me and _I don't know what to do._ "

Finally, she fell apart in front of Ino. Her chest heaved as she inhaled quickly and finally let tears stream down her face. She could hardly breathe after she began to sob, and while her hands came to cover her face, Ino's arms came to embrace Sakura.

She leaned into her best friend's comforting hug, crying against her chest as she continued to cry, letting all of her emotions flood through her body that had been stored up since September. Ino's hands rubbed her back, her head coming to rest against Sakura's pink hair, but she didn't say a word. Sakura needed this quiet comfort, needed someone to hug her, to hold her, let her spill all this built up anger and sadness that she felt.

After moments of silence, Sakura felt Ino inhale and then the vibrations of her talkeing rumbled against Sakura's head.

"It's not appropriate," she started. Ino's words stung, but Sakura didn't feel like talking, so she only listened to what Ino had to say. "But I can tell how much you like him just by the way you talk. I never would've guess, although you've been acting very weird. I'm not sure what to say, Sakura, but I can reassure you that I won't tell anyone."

"I want to graduate already." Sakura mumbled.

"Soon." Ino responded shortly. The atmosphere around them changed drastically, causing Sakura's face to heat up with a blush as she thought about what had just happened. She had confided in Ino, told her her deepest and most darkest secret and now it was out.

"Are you going to keep seeing him after you graduate?" Ino asked softly, her fingers stroking Sakura's back still.

"If he still wants anything with me. I don't even know what he sees in me. Is this weird?" Sakura laughed. "He's fucking twenty-two and decides that he likes me, of all the fucking people in the world."

The short thump on Sakura's head caused her to pull out of Ino's embrace and glare at her blonde friend. "What the-"

"Don't belittle yourself like that, Forehead," Ino reprimanded with a scowl. "You're beautiful, you're smart, funny, outgoing, kind. Fuck, if I had all that going for me, I'm sure I could hook up with someone older."

Sakura chewed on her lip before smiling lightly. She felt like shit for holding this secret from Ino for as long as she had. She still wasn't sure if Ino either supported or disapproved of her decision, but she knew that her best friend would be there for her and stand up for her if she had to. Hell, she was even making Sakura feel slightly better.

"Does Naruto know?" Ino asked.

"No. You're the only one," Sakura spoke softly as she played with her hands. Rubbed mascara painted her ivory skin in black. Soon the back of her hand came to rub what remaining mascara and eyeliner she had on her cheeks.

After telling Ino and getting all the bottled up words out from her system, Sakura inhaled deeply before falling back onto Ino's bed. "The parent-teacher conferences are next week."

"Oh, fuck. How awkward-"

"And my dad has seen me around with Sasuke," Sakura threw her arms over her face and groaned. "We're going to get caught."

"Oh, _fuck_." Was the only thing Ino could say. It made Sakura's stomach curl in disgust and anxiety. What a great fucking night for a chat with her best friend. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Sakura answered bluntly. "I haven't thought of anything, and nothing comes to mind. At this point I'm just kind of regretting ever falling for him." She groaned once more.

"Well, can't your mom just go? Why is your dad even here still? Shouldn't he be back traveling by now?"

"He got a job in Old Konoha." Sakura was beginning to grow annoyed with this conversation. Nothing helped the unsettling feeling in her stomach, or stopped the lump in her throat from growing. Breathing was becoming too hard.

"We'll figure something out," Ino tried comforting her again, but Sakura brushed her words off. She knew that it was about time they got caught - it was bound to happen eventually.

"I'll try to think of something," Sakura spoke as she sat up. She fished her phone out of the pocket of her sweatshirt and began to type a message to Sasuke. "I need to go see Sasuke anyways. I'll catch up with you tomorrow, alright?"

Ino nodded before smiling slyly. "Sasuke, huh?"

Sakura scoffed before shaking her head. "Shut up, Pig."

.

.

.

His scent enveloped her almost immediately when she hopped in the front seat of his car. The heated leather seats felt good against her aching back and legs and as his car began to move forward, she noticed that he hadn't spoke a word.

"You were awfully quiet in class today," he finally chimed in with that bored and monotone voice. It concerned her to hear him talk that way, but instead of arguing with him, she sighed heavily.

"What are we going to do about the parent-teacher conference? I'm freaking the fuck out because my dad has seen us together and I don't think that there's anything I can say to convince him that we don't have something going on-"

"Chill." He commanded. The hum of his engine came to stop as he pulled his keys from the ignition. Dark, concerned eyes glanced in her direction the moment they parked. The two of them were already at his condo, his body coming around to her side of the car and before she knew it, her door opened and the cold bite of winter air seeped in. "Are you going to stay tonight?"

Sakura shrugged before glancing up at him, "I don't know if that's a good idea. I've been away from home a lot and I think my parents are starting to get a little worried."

"Whatever works, I'm not going to force you," Sasuke offered a smirk before his hand came to meet hers. He pulled her from the passenger side and scooped her up in his arms.

"Hey!-"

His smirk never faded as he walked her to the condo doors, through the main lobby and to the elevator. His hard chest felt good from under her body, and instead of fighting him and insisting that he put her down, she simply leaned her head against his chest and breathed his masculine scent in.

"You always smell good," she spoke into his sweatshirt.

"Hn," was the only thing he grunted out before a red shade dusted his cheeks. The ding of the elevator sounded as the doors opened. He walked her inside, and aimed her feet towards the buttons. Sakura tapped the floor that his home resided on, and within seconds, the doors closed and they began to climb floors.

"Sasuke?" Sasuke's head tilted down in her direction. His thick lashes hooded soot colored eyes as he stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you still holding me?"

"Because I don't want to let go," he retorted with a smirk. Sakura could only sigh and release a light giggle. This would probably be the last time she'd ever have alone time with him, considering the conference was in a week and she wouldn't be able to break free from her parents all week.

Instead of arguing with him, she let her fingers reach up and run down his jawline. Soon, her thumb pressed against the corner of his lips, and finally, she pressed on his bottom lip with the padding of her thumb. It was instant, his head dipped and he pressed one, soft but heartwarming and gut wrenching kiss to her lips. Sakura felt the emotions in her chest stir, her throat becoming dry as she leaned into his chest once more.

Sasuke didn't only kiss her lips that night, but her soul as well - she just knew that this was the last time she'd ever experience that type of passionate feeling with Sasuke.


	23. twenty three

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hey guys. Sooo I'm not sure how much longer I have left on this story, but we're getting closer and closer to the end! I was aiming on finishing it before September got down and over with, but I don't think that's gonna happen now! Considering I won't be home the next couple of weekends. But anyway, let me know what you think! Did you enjoy it? Thoughts? Thanks for reading :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

* * *

Throughout the week, Sakura felt like an absolute zombie. She couldn't decipher just what she was going to do on Friday when her parents came face to face with Sasuke and her dad realized just who exactly he was.

She could tell him that they were going to a quiet place to do some tutoring… Or they couldn't, because why would a teacher take his student to Old Konoha and shop around a store that sold guns and knives? She groaned into her arm as her head fell back onto her pillow.

"Why me!" She screamed out. Her parents had been gone all night, on a date supposedly, but Sakura considered that they might actually be at marriage counselor. It was Thursday night, she couldn't possibly think of anything else she could do to make her parents stay home tomorrow night instead of go and listen to how great of a stupid she is, and oh, she has a thing with her teacher.

Sakura removed her arm from her face, she scowled at her popcorn ceiling and felt like she was just wallowing in her pity party. Her phone vibrated from under her pillow, causing her to grab it quickly and read through the message. It was from Ino.

 _Forehead. Figure anything out yet?_

Memories of confiding to Ino came whirling back to her mind, and a blush crept to her cheeks. A sigh of distress came from her nose before she began to type back.

 _No._

She couldn't think of anything else to say, anything to do. Maybe Sasuke had a plan? Regardless, she reached for her lamp on the nightstand and flicked it off. She needed to sleep at one point tonight.

.

.

.

"As you all know, there's parent-teacher conferences tonight. You're more than welcome to show up with them, but that won't hold me back from discussing what I'll need to discuss with them." Dark orbs glanced at Naruto, his face merciless as Sasuke looked away from the blonde.

Naruto could only whine before hiding his face in his arms. Sakura felt her heart beat against her ribcage, loud and hard. It felt like it had gotten ten degrees hotter in Sasuke's classroom, her throat grew dry while her eyes felt wide. She didn't sleep worth shit last night, or throughout the week.

"Pass your homework forward and we'll start discussing the next lesson," Sasuke's monotone voice broke through her thoughts and she was more than frustrated with the fact that she forgot about her homework. He hadn't even glanced in her direction all day, and it was only making her stress and anxiety levels shoot through the roof.

 _What a great fucking day._

.

.

.

"Sakura."

His voice stopped her in her place. She felt her heart begin to hammer against her chest more so now than earlier in the day, but she couldn't quite make her eyes meet his. She felt nervous, sick to her stomach, like she could hardly talk, but when she finally looked up at him, she was met with soft, onyx eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" She asked quietly, her eyebrows raised as she looked at him. Of course she wasn't okay. She was a seventeen year old girl - almost eighteen - and she felt like her life was going to come to an end in the next hour and a half. Sasuke's face didn't falter when she threw his question back into his face. "Of course I'm okay," she lied.

A soft scoff sounded and smirk appeared on his lips. His body came to sit on the corner of his desk while he held the rest of the classroom's homework in his hands. "Then why didn't I see your paper in this stack?" He held them up with a smug look on his face.

"I have a lot going on." She muttered quietly. It had been days since she talked to Sasuke, even during his class, she would make it a point to keep her eyes off him and run out of the room whenever the bell rang. She didn't want to get stuck talking to him about her feelings, especially when she just didn't know what to do.

"Hn," he grunted. "Like parent-teacher conferences?"

Sakura frowned now. Her hands came to grab the strap of her bag and she shuffled her feet awkwardly. Her evergreen eyes dropped, looking down at the cold tiled floor as she began to think about what she was going to do. Sasuke's shoes came into her line of sight, his body standing right in front of hers.

"Hey-" he tilted her chin up, forcing her to look into his dark eyes before he offered a small smile. "I've got it figured out," he reassured her before dipping his head down, meeting her lips with warm, soft lips of his own.

Sakura felt her brows raise with question, viridian irises narrowing softly as she ran her fingers down his jawline. His skin was always soft there, and it always smelled like aftershave. Maybe that was the scent she just couldn't pick up when they first started this whole thing.

"Trust me," he murmured, his warm breath fanning over her cheek as he pulled away and turned around. "I have to get stuff set up. I'll see you later."

Sakura nodded before she turned away and walked out the door. The hall still held stragglers, her being one, but once she reached the commons, she found her blonde best friend sitting on the bench with curious eyes.

"Hey, Forehead," she greeted kindly. Sakura knew that it was just a cover up, because the second they walked out those doors, Ino would be all over her. Sakura only smiled before pulling her coat on over her shoulders and her hat over her head.

The weather outside was still cold, but the snow was finally starting to let up. Unlike every other year, this one had snowed ten times harder and the brisk winds blew from every which direction. Sakura was surprised she hadn't gotten sick, considering all the different times she had been out late without her jacket or coat on.

Ino's annoying hum started to get to her the second they entered the freezing cold air, and when Sakura glanced at her friend, she could see the smile playing on those thin, pink lips.

"What?" She hissed.

"Oh, nothing." Ino's shit eating grin started to appear, and Sakura couldn't help but smack Ino's arm, followed by Sakura pulling her friend under her arm and smiling.

"Oh, nothing, my ass!" Sakura laughed. It felt good to have her friend here with her, knowing her deepest and more darkest secret, yet she made her feel better about it. Although she didn't agree with Sakura's choice, she also didn't bag on her or scold her.

"Any plans yet?" Ino asked from under Sakura's arm.

The pinkette shrugged before glancing into icy blue eyes. It always looked like a storm in her gorgeous orbs, something Sakura could get lost in if she dared look into Ino's eyes for far too long. "Sasuke said he has a plan. I'm a little anxious not knowing what he has up his sleeve."

Another low hum sounded from Ino before she shrugged as well. This time Sakura removed her arm from her best friend and walked alongside her. They had already arrived at Ino's street, and with a simple goodbye spoken into the cool air, Sakura made her way home.

Her heart stirred in her chest the closer she got to home, and the second she walked inside, her knees felt absolutely weak.

"Hello, sweetie!" Mebuki called from the kitchen. Sakura hadn't even closed the door behind her and her mother was already greeting her. It felt nice to see them both at home tonight, but then again, she felt the pit of her stomach burning and bubbling at the thought of going to the school now.

"We'll leave in fifteen minutes. You hungry?"

The last thing Sakura had on her mind was eating - she could hardly stomach the piece of toast she ate that morning, let alone the few crackers she tried providing her body during lunch. Once this entire thing was over and she was grounded indefinitely, she'd eat.

"No, I'm good." Sakura called as she walked passed the kitchen and to the stairs. "I'll eat when we get home." It was a lie, but she wanted to reassure her mother and not worry her.

The moment she got to her room, she closed the door behind her and began to remove her coat and hat. Her hair was an absolute mess, the bags under her eyes had grown to be an ugly shade of purple, and her skin was completely dried out. She exhaled heavily before rubbing at the bags underneath her eyes; she didn't feel tired, but her body was mostly running off adrenaline at this point in time.

With her school uniform peeled off her body and a pair of denim jeans, a pink blouse and ankle high boots on her body, she grabbed her coat and made her way down the stairs. Sakura didn't even think about hiding the bags under her eyes or fixing her hair. She was tired and ready for this to end.

"Hey, dad." She greeted casually as she came back to the kitchen. Her mother had prepared hot sandwiches for the two of them and although they smelled delicious, it made her stomach roll with nausea.

"Ready?" Her father asked with a chipper voice and a wide smile.

"I guess so."

.

.

.

Sakura could no longer feel her body. Her toes and fingers were numb, trembling. She couldn't breathe due to the lump that had formed there earlier in the day. She couldn't think, due to her thoughts being a jumbled, knotted mess and she could hardly hear now. Everything was fuzzy, voices entering her mind but she could hardly make out who was talking to her.

"Hello, Principal Hatake!" Her mother's high pitched greeting shook her from her thoughts, but Sakura hardly cared. She was too tired, and too high up on a wall, waiting to come crashing down.

"Haruno," he greeted with his monotone, lazy voice. His silver hair and eyepatch always freaked Sakura out, but she knew he was a good guy. After loitering through the halls and her parents snacking on provided snacks, her father clasped Sakura's shoulder in his large hand.

"Ready to go talk to.. Er- Who's your homeroom teacher?"

Chills ran down her spine at the thought, and her voice lodged in her throat before she could squeak it out. "Uchiha-sensei."

She began to lead them down the hall, her hands clenched into fists, allowing her nails to bite into the palms of her hands. The second they arrived at the open door, she noticed that it was empty of any other students and their parents and they could go in.

 _Here goes nothing… Or everything_ , she breathed out heavily before dipping through the entryway.

Sakura's heart dropped to her stomach when she was met by a pair of dark eyes, fair skin and a kind smile. She frowned slightly, unsure of what to think, but this man definitely wasn't Sasuke. She stopped in her tracks, glancing towards the door to make sure this was her homeroom.

It definitely was.

"Sakura Haruno and her parents, hello." His voice was deeper than Sasuke's, but Sakura couldn't get over the fact of how much their looked alike. Mebuki was the first to walk right up to him and shake his hand, her father following in hot pursuit.

"Have a seat," he offered, but Sakura was still frozen in time. She swallowed hard when his eyes found her, and instead of making a scene, she tore her feet from their planted location and took a seat next to her mother.

"Uchiha-sensei, these are my parents," she introduced them with a cool tone. "Mom, dad, this is Uchiha-sensei." But it wasn't.

Sakura thrummed her fingers on the desk that she was sitting at, listening to the way he talked and conversed with her parents. She hadn't listen to a single word he said, only to the tone of voice and how he talked. Her mind was completely spaced out on thinking that this man was possibly Sasuke's brother that he had mentioned.

Minutes ticked by on the clock, and by the time they were done, it had only been a half hour. "All in all, she's a pleasure to have in class and I see her doing great things in the future." He finished their conference with a soft pat on her back and a reassuring smile.

His features were entirely too warm, yet his presence was comforting. Sakura finally returned his smile as they left, and the moment they closed the door behind them, she felt a breath of fresh air finally make its way through her lungs.

She could breathe, she could think, she could hear, she could feel. Sasuke hadn't been there tonight, and for that, she was thankful. When Sakura and her parents finally arrived to their car, Mebuki turned to Sakura and smiled.

"Your sensei certainly has undergone a lot of stress!"

Sakura raised an eyebrow before her head tilted slightly. "What?"

"Well, and he grew his hair out, I suppose. That picture you drew of him towards the beginning of the school year - he's certainly changed a lot."

Sakura rolled her eyes before getting in the backseat. "It was just a drawing, mom."

.

.

.

Sakura's phone began to vibrate violently on her desk, startling her mind as she looked away from her research and answered it.

"Hello?"

 _"Sakura. How'd it go?"_ Sasuke's voice had never sounded better. She smiled after hearing it, completely reeled in by how calm and warm he sounded on the other side of the phone.

"Fine," she reassured him. "Who was that?"

 _"Itachi."_ Sasuke answered almost as fast as she had asked. _"I had to beg him to step in for me. Hopefully he didn't cause too much trouble. I gave him the gist of what was going on, but not too much."_

Sakura frowned now. The gist of what was going on? "What do you mean?"

 _"It's nothing,"_ he dodged. Their conversation died down before a low cough came from the other end. _"Are you available tomorrow night?"_

Sakura giggled lightly before checking the time. It was eleven-thirty-four and she still hadn't passed out. Now the excitement of hearing Sasuke stirred her heart and made her blood rush.

"Why do you ask?"

 _"I thought we could go do something."_ His response made her giddy, a smile pulling at her lips before she nodded to herself.

"I'd like that."

 _"Good. I'll get ahold of you sometime tomorrow. Goodnight, Sakura."_

She hung up the phone before even telling him goodnight. Her heart rushed in her chest, her cheeks ached from the smile that pulled at her lips. Her world had completely flipped back over and she felt like she was standing up on her feet once more.

On top of all of this, she would see Sasuke again.


	24. twenty four

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hey guys. Let me know what you think of this update and if I should do another one like it please! Thanks for reading as always. :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 24**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

He could hardly breathe once he got off the phone with her. Obsidian eyes glanced to the man that sat next to him on his sofa, but he disregards the look his older brother gave him. Instead of falling victim, his phone is put back in his pocket before he leans his head on his hand and flicks his eyes towards the television.

"Does mom know?" Itachi's mellow voice breaks the silence between the two of them. Sasuke can only glare at his brother now, his face as stirn and tense as always before he released a low grunt.

"Hn."

A low chuckle sounds from his brother's full lips before he smiled softly. It makes Sasuke sick to think that Itachi is filled in about his little thing with one of his students, but Sakura absolutely drives him up the wall with how gorgeous she is, and her bubbly, outgoing personality; he can never get enough of her, especially when she dozes off in his class and he can see exactly what she's thinking of in those shimmering emerald eyes of hers.

"Don't be an asshole," Sasuke warned before standing from his place on the couch. "Want another beer?"

Itachi holds a large hand up, his head shaking from side to side - "no, I'm fine. I should get going, anyways. I'll see you tomorrow."

Sasuke's dark brows furrow as Itachi smiles at him before leaving. He can feel his heartbeat against his chest as he throws away the cans in the recycling bin, his mind absolutely throbbing from all the shit that had been going on in his life throughout the last few months. Fuck, he never thought he'd fall for one of his students the first year he started teaching, but sure as shit, they were in too deep and he'd never give up looking into her gorgeous viridian eyes, or feeling her soft lips against his.

With the lights turned off, television flicked off and his feet carrying him to his room, Sasuke pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. He could feel the headache right behind his eyes as he slid into bed, his hands bringing the comforter to rest softly on his chest, and all he can think about is Sakura lying next to him; soft breaths, pink hair, groggy emerald eyes and a gentle smile. She's everywhere - his mind can never escape her, and he's always wanting to be near her.

It fucking annoys him to no extent, but then again, she's light and she's happiness. Sakura makes him feel things he yearned to feel for as long as he can remember, and even with her somewhat in his life, he works hard to continue seeing her.

A deep sigh escapes through his parted lips before his lids closely lazily over obsidian eyes. He can't wait to see her again, he can't wait until she's in his bed with him again, her lips grazing his skin while her hands touch his body.

"Annoying girl," he gasps out before a single hand slides his boxers down his hips. She had no fucking clue what she does to him, or how she makes him feel and it isn't fucking fair.

.

.

.

His eyes glance at the watch on his arm from Sakura, his throat turned completely dry as he realizes it's just about time to pick up Sakura from her house. She has no idea that the two of them will be meeting with Itachi, nor does she know that they'll be going out to dinner outside of Konoha. The only thing that he informed her of, was that the two of them would be out late, and she replied with - _'looks like I'll be staying with you tonight.'_

There was a something about Sakura that Sasuke would never understand, and that was how clueless she acted around him. The moment he saw her, he couldn't keep his eyes off her; the night he picked both her and Ino up from the streets late at night, he felt anger bubble up in his chest, and he could hardly look at her, because he was furious that she was stupid enough to be out partying.

After he dropped her off that night, he tried too fucking hard to reason with himself, tell himself that he shouldn't care that much about a young girl's choices - he partied when he was her age, but he never drank enough or got caught doing it. Sasuke finally sighed, his mind filled with thoughts and memories of how this all started, and he still couldn't quite piece it all together.

He fell for her, and it wasn't just infatuation - it was something more.

"Hey!" Her warm voice instantly startled him as she entered through the passenger door of his car. The cold winter breeze flowed in with her, biting at his skin with a cold bitterness that it made him scowl. Sakura's smile didn't go unnoticed though, as she pulled her seatbelt over her chest and looked up at him with glowing evergreen irises that set his heart ablaze. He couldn't hold back.

His right hand came to warp around the back of her head before he pulled her to him, his lips meeting hers, fire lighting up in his heart when he felt her sweet lips against his. Her hands came to ball up in the fabric of his jacket, and as he went to pull away, he could feel her smile form from under his lips. "Where are we going?" she mumbled, and as he met her eyes, he felt himself smirk.

"It's a surprise."

"But Sasuke-"

"No," he interrupted her with another chaste kiss. She quit talking, her eyes widened under his touch, but this time when he pulled away, his hand came to slid down her arm and rest on her knee. He loved touching her, having his hands on her body. _Fuck_ , it all felt so good; too good to be true.

When he pulled his hand from her leg, he put his car in first gear and pulled away from the block that her house resided on. The music that pulsed from the speakers couldn't drown out the sweet scent of her perfume, nor did it drown out his pulsing heart rate. He could hardly breathe whenever it came to being near Sakura - half the time, he could hardly contain himself, but being the older of the two, he had to be responsible when it came to her.

The clicking of his blinker took over as he turned into a somewhat packed parking lot, and before he could hear another word of protest fall from her sweet lips, he was out of his car and walking around to the passenger side to let her out.

"We're here?" She inquired, emerald eyes glancing around their dark surroundings.

"That's why we're getting out of the car, Sakura." He smirked at her before taking her small hand in his. He was amused with the way her lip pouted out, her eyes slightly narrowing at him while her brows furrowed. She was most adorable when she was flustered like this.

During the winter, Sasuke _loathed_ going outdoors; wet, cold places irked him - not to mention that he hated being cold. Once they reached the doors to the restaurant, he held it open for Sakura while she wandered in ahead of him. He hadn't noticed what she was wearing when she got in the car, but now that he looked at her, he couldn't keep his dark, glimmering eyes off of her.

From under her black coat, she wore a white longsleeve that hugged the curves of her body, accentuating the round of her breasts and revealing her collarbones. The dust of a pink tank top that she had on underneath didn't go unnoticed, and as he continued to look at her, he was aware that her denim skinny jeans were entirely fucking tight. She had a pair of simple chocolate, knee-high boots on, and with that, she looked casual yet nice. His throat felt dry the longer he looked at her.

"Table for two?"

His eyes tore themselves away from Sakura's body, and he met a pair of hazel eyes and a kind smile. "We're actually meeting someone here. Long hair, tall-"

"Oh, yes." With that, the man led them away from the front doors, and towards the back of the restaurant. The two of them followed behind him as he lead the way to Itachi, and the second they arrived at the booth, Sasuke instantly began to regret this entire decision, but it needed to be settled.

"Sasuke," Itachi greeted with warm eyes and a lazy smirk. "Sakura." He could feel a snarl in the base of his throat at the way Itachi rolled Sakura's name off of his tongue, but instead of snapping, Sasuke simply guided Sakura into the booth, his own body sliding in afterwards.

"Hello, Itachi." Sakura greeted with a gentle smile and live, viridian eyes. She was absolutely radiate in the dim lighting of the building, but when Itachi began to speak again, Sasuke had to pry his eyes off of Sakura and face his brother.

"It's nice to see my brother so happy lately."

Sasuke continued to look at Itachi, fighting away that scowl that usually set on his face whenever it came to the older man. "How was your day?" He found himself asking instead, trying to change the subject. He could obviously feel the tension eat away at the three of them, and he could tell by the way Sakura's teeth sunk into her bottom lip that she was already uncomfortable.

"Not bad," Itachi breathed out. "Hung out around the hotel-"

"You're not letting your brother stay with you?" Sakura turned to face Sasuke, her brows furrowed.

"No." He answered back almost instantly. A low chuckle sounded from Itachi as his dark eyes glanced back towards his older brother. 'He's old enough to rent a hotel for the weekend."

"Well someone has to be old enough."

Instant fucking regret to agreeing to this date. Sasuke felt his hands clench into fists, his eyes burning holes into Itachi's head as he glared at him. He fucking hated the cheap shots that his brother was able to take. After all, Itachi had the upperhand in this case. Sakura smirked slightly before looking away, her eyes glancing out the window as cars drove by and city lights shimmered in the distance.

An awkward silence fell on the three of them, their waiter arriving at just the right time to take their drink orders until he vanished in the crowd of employees that surrounded the kitchen. A low sigh came from Sakura before he glanced at her quickly, his brow raising in question.

"Okay," she started. He could hear the annoyance in her tone, and the fire blazing in evergreen eyes. "Why did you stand in for Sasuke if you find this whole thing humorous?"

It took Itachi a moment to collect his thoughts before his eyes averted from Sakura's face and to his own. It was like time stood still as he waited for Itachi to answer, and when he did, it was like his heart had frozen completely over.

"Because he's family, and I don't want to see him in trouble." His monotone voice almost burned his ears - it was like the blush creeping over his cheeks and filling his body with an immense heat. "-besides, if he's happy, then I'd like him to stay like that."

"Ah," Sakura responded casually. "How much convincing did it take for you to stand in for him?"

Moving on with their conversation, Sasuke sat in the booth next to Sakura, listening to this shit fest continue. He hated thinking about how much he _begged_ and _pleaded_ his brother to help him. It wasn't like Sasuke - he was too proud for shit like that.

"He wouldn't stop asking. Kept begging me to come back to Konoha for the weekend. He even promised to take me out to dinner."

Sakura finally let out a muffled giggled, her eyes rolling to look at him as his scowl deepened. He fought to hide the blush on his cheeks, but instead of letting the truth eat away at him, he simply looked at the smile on Sakura's lips and remembered that they could still work their way around the system - for now.

Throughout the remainder of the night, they finally ordered their food and the three of them dove into mild conversation. It was nice to finally have someone that he trusted - at times - know his secret, and actually spend time with both Sakura and his brother. Even after they finished eating, they enjoyed one another's company until the restaurant told them it was closing hours.

By the time they said their goodbyes to Itachi, Sasuke had his hand around Sakura's waist, her sweet, summery scent drowning out the night's adventure as he walked her to his car.

"Now what?" She asked with a grin and it made his entire body feel completely numb. The fucking things this girl could do him with a simple smile.

"I take you home and call it a night."

He waited for her to say something, but the way her body tensed from beneath his arm had already made him smirk.

"Really?" She whined, her tone soft and eyes gentle. He simply glanced at her before pulling her closer, his arm coming to wrap around her shoulders before he placed his lips to the top of her head.

"Of course not. You're coming home with me." He whispered against her ear. "If you want, that is."

Sakura stopped in place before her hands came to wrap around his neck. She pressed her head to his chest while her fingers played with the ends of his hair - it felt too fucking good. Sasuke placed his hands on the small of her back, her body pressing against his as he soaked up her presence and inhaled her intoxicating scent. There were just some nights he wanted her too fucking bad.

He felt her shuffle under his hold, and as he tilted his chin to look down at her, he could see that gentle, alluring smile play on her lips. Even the shimmering of her eyes in the night did things to his mind. She always looked beautiful, even under the dim lighting of street lights and glimmering city signs.

"Have anything planned tonight?" She whispered against the skin of his neck. The collar of his shirt moved when she pressed her soft lips against it - she now had access to his skin from where she stood now. There were things he _wanted_ to do… but he wouldn't.

"No," he answered quietly. "I don't."

It was a game to him now - a game he wanted to win because Sakura was playing dirty. He could feel the goosebumps transcend throughout his body, making his breaths come out hard and slow while she pressed gentle kisses right to his adam's apple. He wanted to let his hands travel, roam freely, but he _couldn't_ and it annoyed him.

"What if I want to do something, though?"

Sasuke closed his eyes as tight as he possibly could, choking down curses that threatened to fall through chapped lips. His head came to rest over her shoulder, and before he could stop himself, he felt his hand peal her coat and shirt back before he felt her soft, creamy skin under the palm of his hand.

She was warm, soft to the touch and so fucking inviting. He wanted more, needed more, but-

"You can." She said softly. Sasuke's breath hitched in his lungs and before he could even refuse her offer, he felt her hands slowly snake up his shirt; cold, tiny hands touching his chiseled abs. "See? You don't mind, do you?"

He couldn't speak when her hands held onto the skin at his hips, fingers playing with the waistline of his jeans. He swallowed hard before pulling away and letting her hands drop by her sides.

"Hey!-"

Sasuke grabbed her hand in his before giving her a gentle tug; dark eyes stayed on her as she finally walked with him. He wanted her, needed her; he needed to leave this place and get to his home. She was driving him insane.

"Not here," he choked out, his voice hardly audible as he walked her to his car.

They'd have plans for tonight, indeed.


	25. twenty five

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hey! Sorry it took forever to update. I really appreciate all the reviews that have been left, and I really do apologize for taking so long to get this out. I'd like to ask for some forgiveness with this chapter, mainly because I'm getting warmed up for what's to come xD I love you guys and thanks for sticking with me! Hope ya like it._

* * *

 **Chapter 25**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

It didn't take long for him to return the two of them back to his condo, his heart beating wildly in his chest; he could physically feel his eyes begin to hurt, trying to keep them on the road as he drove his car with ease. Sakura's presence next to him made it hard to breathe, and he could feel her viridian eyes stare at him as he tried to remain calm and composed, his grip on the wheel tightened as he swallowed hard. He couldn't keep to himself, couldn't keep his _hands_ to himself as he removed his right hand from the steering wheel, finding the warmth of her thigh just under the palm of his hand before his fingers tightened around her.

A sharp exhale sounded through her thin lips, but it soon followed with, "you're sure you can't just stop?"

The sound of her soft, naive voice was driving him nuts, and it was an internal fight to make himself continue driving and not stop the car on the side of the road and start something that shouldn't even happen. He wasn't sure what had come over him, maybe it was the way she came onto him, her lust-filled eyes and raspy voice running through his ears, hands hardly dancing over him, but it made his mind snap and he couldn't hold back anymore.

From the moment he parked the car and exited, he was already opening Sakura's side, his hand grasping her wrist and pulling her out and into his arms. He didn't wait a second longer, his mouth pressed against hers, his lips molding against hers as his hands wrapped around her body, holding her to him as he devoured her mouth.

A light giggle that escaped from her made him smirk against her lips, and when her hands came to wrap around his neck, her fingers digging into his dark locks and massaging his scalp, he ran his tongue over her lips as he inhaled her scent. Winter's bite didn't bother him, and the moment she welcomed his tongue into her mouth, he felt her shy away almost immediately.

"Sakura—" he breathed out before pulling away, obsidian eyes finding her emerald eyes in the dark, only the dim light offered from the building lit her face up, and he could see the light blush that dusted her cheeks. "I'm not going to do anything that you don't want." He spoke, voice low but eyes shimmering with honesty. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off, or make her do something she'd surely regret. The thought made him swallow hard and remember Itachi's warnings.

The feeling of her fingers in his hair and her breath against his lips set a fire coursing through his body, making him pull her closer to him as he stared down into her eyes with a firm look; she caught her lip between her teeth as her blush deepened, and the way she looked just set him off.

" _Sakura._ " He warned.

A soft smile colored her features, and he found his gaze easing up a bit as she exhaled slowly. "I'm just nervous," she admitted, and the blush on her cheeks, crossing the bridge of her nose gave her away and told him that she was being honest. Even the shaky exhale of breath sent shivers down his spine before he pressed his lips to her forehead, his onyx eyes closing for a second as she tried to process his thoughts.

Sakura was young, still in high school and he hadn't even considered the fact that he might've been rushing it, but the way she taunted him almost an hour ago told him something else. He dropped his gaze from her before pulling away, his hand grasping her wrist as he towed her along behind him.

A small squeak sounded from her as he pulled her through the front lobby of the building and straight to the elevator. Thoughts had began to swim through his mind, his brows furrowed once the doors to the glass box opened, and he pulled her in along behind him. Once he pressed the button for his floor, he leaned his back against the wall, his arms crossing over his chest as he looked at her with dark, smoldering eyes. The look that had crossed over her face was unfamiliar to him, almost like fear itself settling inside of her emerald eyes, but he looked past it, trying to find the real reason as to why she came onto him all of a sudden.

"Why?" He finally asked. His patience was wearing thin — thinner than the long sleeve shirt that ran over her curves, twisting with her body as she glanced away nervously. It was driving him insane just looking at her and trying to figure out what in the hell was going through her mind. He wanted to know what swam around in that pretty little head of her, why she had gotten so nervous around him when in the past, she had always been lurking, ready to pounce.

When Sakura finally glanced back at him, he was startled to see that soft smile and glazed over look in her eyes. Her chest heaved with each breath before she took a step towards him, and before Sasuke knew it, he was cancelling out the sound of the elevator climbing floors. She was right up against him now, her hands trapping him against the wall before her weight came to the balls of her feet and her lips pressed to his throat.

"I got nervous," she admitted again, her words running over his neck as she pressed her lips against the sensitive skin there. Sasuke felt his body freeze over, only his heart beating in his chest as he focused on the warmth that pressed to his skin. The way she spoke, her breaths shaky yet he could feel the way she wanted him. "But I definitely want to try something new…"

It was almost perfect timing — he had Sakura scooped up in her arms, the dinging of the elevator echoing and the doors opened, only to allow Sasuke his escape. He was quick to get her to his door, his hand juggling the keys around in his pocket before he finally managed to find the right key. The moment he unlocked his door, he kicked it open, carried Sakura in and found her lips with one graceful, fluid motion.

"Don't fuck around with me, Sakura." He warned darkly as he closed the door behind them, his lips moving against hers, and he could hear the soft moans fall from between their lips; he could've sworn that he heard his name at one point, but he was too intoxicated by her sweet scent, and too enticed by the way her nails felt against his scalp as they continued to kiss.

He walked her back into his front room, their hard breathing and soft groans filling the quiet void. He wasn't sure what she wanted, but instead of placing her back down onto the floor, he carried her to his room. Sasuke felt his heart raging from within his chest, beating against his ribcage as he flicked the overhead light on, and without another second wasted, he had her back pressing into his mattress while his smoldering eyes stared into emerald irises.

Her thin, pink lips were parted and swollen, evergreen eyes wide with excitement, lust swirling deep from within and he knew there was certainty in the way she looked at him.

"I want you to touch me." She whispered softly and Sasuke could feel his blood run hot, those simple words striking up a fire in his core. It was spreading throughout his body, burning everything in its wake, and he could only swallow hard before peeling his coat from his body and let it drop to the floor.

Sakura laid before him, her emerald eyes watching his every move before he placed a knee between her thighs, his arms lowering his body down to hers, until he planted one, soft kiss to her tender lips. "Only if you really want me to." He muttered in a low, husky voice.

Her expression was soft like silk, her eyes still shimmering with lust and curiosity and Sasuke could feel his resolve slowly crumble. It took every ounce of self control to keep his hands off of her, and it took every ounce of his composure to make sure that this was everything she wanted. He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing that he ruined a young girl who was had lost her mind due to her hormones.

His lips pressed to the corner of her mouth, and he could've sworn that he was dreaming, but the soft of her voice sounded right in his ear — "yes, Sasuke."

His lips instantly pressed to hers before his hands landed on the curves of her hips. The fabric of her long sleeve felt soft underneath his large palms, but when he grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began to lift it up, it was like electricity under his finger tips as he grazed the soft skin of her stomach. He could feel her tense under his touch, and he was more than positive that she could feel him hesitating slightly. With ease, he removed his lips from hers, his hands pulling the white long sleeve up and over her head until it was discarded on the floor, right next to his jacket.

The sight of her laid out on his bed, shirtless and only her black bra covering ivory skin sent his mind into the clouds. Sasuke wasn't much of a man for words, but he couldn't keep his eyes from wandering her body. Sakura looked absolutely stunning; her could see the outline of abs, the curves of her hips and the mounds of her breasts — he took it all in before his lips touched down to the center of her throat, much like she had done to him in the elevator.

"You're still sure?" He muttered against her skin as he proceeded to press kisses down her chest, welcoming the round of his breast as he nipped at delicate skin lightly.

"Yes—" she exhaled, nearly moaned out from underneath his touch, and it only encouraged him to continue. The Uchiha knew that she wasn't ready to remove her bra, and instead of feeling her up and making the pinkette uncomfortable, he only pressed soft kisses to her revealed skin.

She squirmed under his touch, but she never tried to stop him. The moment his lips made contact with the taut skin of her stomach, her hands instantly found his long locks of obsidian hair, while her slender fingers threaded through the strands. Sakura was reacting how any virgin would react, and when his hands came to the button of her pants, Sasuke heard the sharp inhale she took. It didn't him long to undo it, and by the time he was done, his eyes found the black lace of her panties — they matched her bra, and a soft smirk painted itself over his lips.

"You're sure?" He asked one more time.

"Yes," she breathed out, her eyes nearly impatient as she waited for what she had asked for.

"There's no going back." He warned.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."


	26. twenty six

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

* * *

Sakura was on cloud nine.

The smell of cinnamon and rolling fires devoured her as she rolled her head back, inhaling the scent of Sasuke as it enveloped her. It was absolutely exhilarating; his hands on her body, his lips roaming her skin, and the way his obsidian eyes looked at with her. They were filled with lust and conflict, a storm brewing in his dark pools but Sakura offered a gentle smile.

Instead of waiting for him to make the next move, she pulled at his arms, beckoning for him to come back up to meet her lips with his. His dark locks fell in his face when his nose brushed against her, and when she kissed at the corner of his lips, she could feel his shaky breath along her cheek.

Sasuke's shirt was still on and while she was still inexperienced at all of this, she grabbed at the bottom and slowly lifted it up. The catch in his breath didn't go unnoticed and it excited her; once she pulled it over his head, she kissed down his cheek, along his jawline and against his neck until she stopped at his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a soft voice, her lips moving on their own as she ran over the soft skin of his shoulder.

A low growl reverberated in his throat before he had her pinned against his matress, his knees straddling her body and Sakura smiled brightly. There was a fire burning in his eyes, mixing with the storm and it was the most enticing look he had ever given her.

Before she had a chance to breathe, his lips were pressed against hers, his tongue flicking at her lips, begging to let him in — so she did. Their tongues moved in unison, heavy breathing filling the air around them as Sasuke eased himself down onto her. One of his hands remained on her hip, while she had hers wrapped around his shoulders, her fingers intertwined behind his neck.

She pulled him closer, their noses pressing against one another and it was probably the most intimate of times they've shared together thus far. Then, Sasuke's fingers slowly trailed up her body, running over the curve of her hip, dancing over her ribcage until he finally had her breast cupped in the palm of his hand.

It was a shock at first, something new but it was definitely something she wanted. He was careful, slightly hesitant still, but he continued with what he was doing. He pulled away for a second, his lips lingering gently over hers but he started to adjust their bodies to the point that his hands were behind her back, finger tips playing with the clasp of her bra.

"Are you comfortable with this?" and while Sakura wanted to nod her head in agreement, the feeling of being half naked in front of him was somewhat frightening. Instead, she bit down on her lip, trying to hide the blush that dusted her cheeks but Sasuke always managed to see everything. "Be honest."

His voice held comfort, even when she didn't have the self confidence in herself to say no, it was reassuring that he wanted her to be honest. In response, she shook her head; he wasn't mad by any means, and instead of pursuing that, he moved to where he had her breasts in his hands again, her bra still on.

Sasuke pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before moving his mouth to her ear. "You need to be honest with me. I don't want to do something that you wouldn't like; that's not my intention."

And those words made her shiver. She could feel the stubble from his face against her skin, and the way his lips gently grazed her ear — she was coming undone before him. Sakura's core was now heated, burning with desire for this man she was absolutely head over heels for.

Her skin burned from where his fingers touched, trailing back down her ribcage, over her navel, and finally to the black lace of her panties. Sakura's breath hitched in her throat, but between Sasuke's soft kisses and the way he caressed her cheek with his other hand, she calmed down.

There was a time where Sakura always thought about who would be her first kiss, her first boyfriend, or just her _first_ in general; she never thought that all of these things would happen with her homeroom teacher of all people. She wasn't complaining, though. Especially when his fingers dipped under her panties, the feeling of his finger gently touching her _down there_ and it was already hard to breathe.

"Ahh—" she breathed out through parted lips, her viridian eyes glossed over with something unfamiliar. She could feel Sasuke's smile against her lips but it wasn't what she was focused on. She was focused on the sensitive skin that began to tingle under his touch and he hadn't even gotten to her folds yet.

Her slender fingers knotted in his obsidian locks, holding on for dear life as he ventured further. She loved that he was slow, but it was also teasing her and the suspense was almost too much. If she was more experienced with this kind of stuff, she would be begging him to go faster; right now, she was soaking up the feeling of being touched by him. He was gentle and careful, letting her grow used to his touch and while it was considerate of him, the look in his eyes continued to burn.

"You're sure?" He asked softly, his voice raspy.

Sakura didn't want to answer, she just wanted to remove her fingers from his hair and push his hand down just a bit more, but she answered in a tone of voice that didn't even sound like hers.

 _"Please. Just do it already."_

Sasuke chuckled, albeit a nervous laugh but it was cute and it was calming and reassuring. Finally, he pushed her underwear to the side, allowing him enough room to cup her entire being; it felt unreal at first, the way he ran a single finger down her slit, pushing through her folds as he stroked her. Sakura purred at his touch, lavishing in the way how good it felt, and when he finally stopped at her clit, he applied some more pressure.

She flinched at first, but a soft gasp escaped from her and it made Sakura pull him closer as he repeated this process. His finger was warm against her as he continued to run it along her folds, dipping deeper until he finally came to a stop at her entrance.

"You're so wet," he commented but Sakura didn't say a word. Instead, her entire face flushed, making her self conscious but Sasuke only kissed away at her lips before removing his hand from her cheek. He trapped her chin between his index finger and thumb, forcing her to look at him as he smiled a dreamy smile. "Relax, it's fine."

As he spoke those words, she could feel his finger begin to move once more and it made her squirm from underneath him. He was slow at first, his finger stopping at her entrance before he pressed a soft kiss to her nose; just like that, he was entering her with his digit and Sakura held onto him as tight as she could.

"Let me know if it hurts," he added against her lips before pressing another kiss to her mouth. Between kissing him and having his finger inside of her, she could hardly focus, but she returned his kiss before exhaling slowly while her heart thundered from within her chest.

As Sasuke continued to push his finger deeper inside of her, Sakura could feel her stomach curling with pleasure. When he began to pull it out, it was at a faster pace; he kept at this pace as Sakura's legs spread wider for him, giving him easier access. Just as she was adjusting to the movements and the soft groans that fell from her lips, he slowly started to insert another finger. Her eyes wanted to roll back at the way it felt — it hurt slightly, but it also felt good. It wasn't an annoying pain, but pleasurable.

"Sasuke—!" she moaned against his neck as he sped up slightly, but not only that, he had his thumb pressed against her clit again, circling it softly as he continued to move in and out of her at a decent pace. Sakura could've swore that she was seeing stars at this point, but it was then that he stopped and began to readjust above her.

Sasuke pushed himself off of the bed and as Sakura began to prop herself up on her elbows, he had his hands hooked around the backs of her knees, pulling her to the edge of the bed until his hips had been position in between her legs. A smirk came to pull at the corner of his lips as he stared down at her; she could hardly feel her body at this point.

He was now knelt down on the floor, his lips pressing to the insides of her thighs and while she thought that having his fingers rub and brush against her felt good, she was in for a surprise. Sakura had herself propped up on an elbow, her eyes watching him with interest and curiosity as Sasuke trailed kisses towards her center.

"Just relax," he reminded, his obsidian eyes glancing up at her from under black bangs and she swore she was going to lose her mind because of this man. "Let me do the work. I've been wanting to do this for such a long time, Sakura."

A lump formed in her throat, making it hard to breathe but her fingers threaded through his dark locks as he finally dipped his tongue into her entrance, making her back arch and her head roll back. He was slow at first, but with his teeth lightly grazing and his tongue circling and moving into different rotations, she could hardly control the moans that filled his bedroom.

It wasn't just his tongue that played around inside of her, but his fingers touched her gently as well. It was winding her up, making her lose control as she pulled at his hair, forcing him to change the rhythm of his tongue.

In and out, he circled around, touching her walls and rubbing her with his fingers in a circular motion. Sakura was losing her damn mind because of the pleasure, and while her cheeks flushed, she could feel something in her core warming with such an intense heat that she could hardly stand it anymore.

"That feels so good—!" She breathed out through each moan and gasp for air, and just as she was about to ride out her orgasm, Sasuke's small laugh vibrated from between her legs and she completely lost it.

It was amazing, absolutely mind blowing and tiring and just _stunning_. She came undone before him, her heart absolutely throbbing in her chest while her entire body trembled before him. Her fingers continued to tangle in his hair, pushing and pulling as the knot in her core came undone. Sakura didn't realize it, but Sasuke was no longer on the floor, but lying beside her with an amused smirk on his face; his eyes were no longer burning with lust and conflict, but with a content gaze and it only made her smile back at him.

"You're beautiful."

She wanted to hide herself from his view, but she rolled towards him until her cheek was pressed flush against his chest, her hands coming to wrap around his waist. He was warm and he was welcoming as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She didn't realize it, but he had only done stuff to her and as much as her curiosity nagged her, she couldn't bring herself to touch him like he did her.

"I want to wait," he spoke softly. It came off as a shock to her, making her look up to meet his gaze. It was concerning and it was gut wrenching. Didn't he want the same thing as her? Didn't he want—

"You're still seventeen. I don't want to ruin that for you. You're a good girl, Sakura. You're smart, pretty, you have great friends and you've made good life choices. I don't want to send you down a path that you might regret."

"But I won't regret it," she tried to protest, but he silenced her with a long, passionate kiss. It was a lot more meaningful than all of their kisses before, as it was filled with everything that Sasuke had to give.

He pulled her closer before dipping his tongue inside of her mouth and rolling her over onto her back. When he pulled away, he pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose. "Trust me on this, okay? It's for the best."

Sakura could only nod her head. Her mind was reeling with the pleasure he had bestowed upon her, but to have him back out of something that she had wanted… it was slightly upsetting, but she wanted to trust him on this. Maybe it would be for the best, considering she was still seventeen, and he was her teacher — she didn't want anything bad to happen to him if it came down to that.

"Don't make that face." He warned with dark eyes and a smirk. He placed another kiss to her nose, his black hair brushing against her forehead before her finally rolled off of her and the bed and made way for the bathroom. "I'll get the shower ready for you."

And while Sasuke prepped the bathroom for her, Sakura rolled onto her side, thinking about his words and thinking about how soft and gentle he had been with her. Had it not been for their age difference and their circumstances, maybe they could've been a couple, doing couple things in public and living a normal life.

This life in secrecy was scary. It was dangerous and it always got her adrenaline pumping; but she was happy for once. Happy with a man that would always put her and her wellbeing first, even if it was something that he wanted.

She smiled to herself, knowing full well that when she was no longer in school, maybe things would be different.

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

The following morning, Sakura's eyes stirred open to the light that seeped in through the vertical blinds. Grogginess swelled behind her eyes, but the second she started to realize where she was at, a smile pulled at her lips.

Sasuke had his arm wrapped around her body, his chest to her back and his face nuzzled into the crook of her neck; he held her close like that all night and it was everything Sakura wanted. Instead of getting out of bed, she soaked up the cuddling Sasuke that continued to sleep next to her. When she reached for her phone, she felt him stir slightly but he was back to a peaceful sleep within seconds.

 _We haven't talked about it much, but have you thought about what you want to do for your birthday?_

It was from Ino and it was something that set her heart ablaze. Heat swelled in her chest, reminding her that not only would she have a nice birthday with her friends and family like she did every year, but she would have Sasuke in her life this year.

 _And she would be turning eighteen._

The mere thought sent a wave of shivers throughout her body. As she started to type back, she felt something soft against her neck — it was Sasuke pressing a kiss to her skin, soft and gentle like she had grown used to and she leaned into him a little more.

"Good morning, Sasuke," she greeted softly. Before she could reply back to Ino's message, she rolled over in bed, facing him and smiling at his sleepy face. He hadn't opened his eyes all the way yet, only a crack in one lid as he looked at her.

His hair was all over in his face and it only made Sakura's smile deepen before she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Hn." he responded before closing his eyes and pulling her close again. Sakura giggled when he pulled her all the way under the covers with him, only to bask in the warmth he emitted and the kisses he planted against her lips. "G'morn."

"Do you have any plans for the day?" Sakura questioned between each kiss he gave her, but before he could answer, he froze.

Three loud knocks sounded throughout his condo, making Sakura's face run hot and her mind fall into a complete panic as she held still in his arms.

"Who is that?" She asked, but Sasuke groaned loudly before pulling away from her and crawling out of bed. "Sasuke?"

He didn't answer, though. Instead, he pulled on a pair of sweats accompanied by a sweatshirt and ran his fingers through his dark locks. A low sigh escaped his lips before he turned to Sakura.

"I forgot that my mom was going to be coming over sometime soon. Sooner than I had expected."

* * *

So I finally managed to come back (thanks to a friend that literally dragged me back to ss hell) and had some time to get this updated! First and foremost, I want to apologize for such a long wait on this next chapter. AND for leaving such an awful cliff hanger there. xD my intentions were to update it soon after my last update, but I kind of moved on from the fandom for awhile. Anyway, I finally figured out what I wanted to do with this part, and as for how it went, it's what I was most comfortable with.

I hope you guys enjoyed! Please let me know your thoughts, as they really help with being motivated in writing aaaaand I'm hoping to update this story on a regular basis again. Thank you to those that have waited patiently, I really appreciate you guys!


	27. twenty seven

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Ended up getting really sick for awhile and didn't have time to update last week, so I'm sorry about that! This is basically a transition chapter but I also wanted to bring Mikoto into the story. Thank you all for reading and the support. I really appreciate it!_

* * *

 **Chapter 27**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

The first thing he had thought about this morning was Sakura; her hair smelled like his shampoo, and she had one of his shirts on. It was big around her small body, encasing her and practically claiming her as his own and it made him smirk. That smirk slowly faded as he closed his bedroom door behind him, leaving Sakura to fix herself up in his bathroom as he walked towards the front door.

"It's so good to see you!"

He was instantly embraced in a warm hug and a set of lips pressing to his cheek. Like usual, his mother greeted him with an over the top embrace, but he couldn't help the laugh that pressed through his lips. He could feel happiness emit from his core, spreading through his body and giving him life as he wrapped his own arms around Mikoto.

"You're early," he greeted and just as he was about to close the door behind his mother, a foot stopped it from closing. "And you're—"

"I came with," Itachi spared him a gentle smile, but a glint of mischief flared in his onyx eyes. Sasuke was now glaring at his older brother, fully aware of what was going on now.

"Have you eaten yet, dear? I could take my boys out for breakfast if you'd like. It's been awhile since the three of us have gone out together."

Sasuke nervously scratched at the back of his neck, something he had picked up on from that annoying blonde kid in his class and it only made him that much more irritated. Instead of rolling his eyes at his brother, Sasuke coughed slightly — Itachi's smile grew at the corners. Of course he would love to go out and spend some time with his family, but before he could answer, the clanking of a bottle sounded from down the hall.

"Do you have someone here with you?" Mikoto's soft voice cooed while her dark eyes lit up. It was almost encouraging to see that look from her, but a scorching blush settled on his cheeks as Itachi's smile deepened. Of course his brother knew that Sakura was here, and of course he was going to see this out.

Sasuke took a deep breath before answering, his voice hardly sounding through the lump that had formed in his throat, "yeah."

His heart was beating a little faster in his chest and his mind began to numb up a little. He could feel the tingling feeling at the tips of his ears, knowing full well that they matched the shade of red his cheeks had turned and before he could stop his mother from racing down the hall, a petite girl stood in the entryway of the hall.

Her soft voice was something he had grown used to and while it calmed his body more days than not, it was setting a fire in the pit of his stomach.

"I— uh, hi! Sorry if I interrupted or anything," Sakura greeted with a cheeky smile and a small wave of her hand. The clothes that she wore were plain and simple, a mint colored shirt that hung down over her bottom and a pair of leggings that ran over the curves of her legs. She had her bangs braided off to the side and the rest of her pastel hair ran in waves, framing her face.

Sasuke even noticed she had a minimal amount of makeup on and although the look was natural, she looked absolutely stunning. The corners of his lips began to turn upwards when she glanced at him, the soft green of her irises meeting the dark pools of his own, but his thoughts had been completely cut in half when Mikoto had perched herself in front of Sakura.

His mother stood only a couple inches taller than the pinkette, but her warm smile and friendly eyes mirrored Sakura's — maybe that was why Sasuke was so drawn to her, because he felt familiarity and he felt comfort whenever it came to the girl.

"You are so cute," Mikoto's soft voice filled his home and while it made not only Sasuke's ears heat up, Sakura's cheeks had been dusted with a pink blush. Her voice had almost been a whisper, but it was loud enough for both Sasuke and Itachi to hear. "Why hasn't Sasuke told me about you? What's your name?"

The younger Uchiha swallowed, trying to push the lump that had formed in his throat away as his mother began to ask questions. Whether or not Sakura wanted to answer, he knew that Mikoto wasn't going to leave until she heard absolutely _everything_ about what her youngest son had been up to.

"This must be why he doesn't visit home anymore! If anything, you should've brought her with." Stern, obsidian eyes rolled in Sasuke's direction and he could only stare at her. Sakura stood completely still in front of the woman, her eyes somewhat wide as Mikoto's gaze turned back to her. "So what was your name, dear?"

"Sakura," she responded softly. "Sakura Haruno."

When she said her name, it felt like butterfly wings fluttering on the inside of his chest but Sasuke remained quiet. Only his arms came to cross over his chest but when the pinkette finally offered a smile, he felt his heart nearly skip a beat.

"Sasuke probably hasn't mentioned anything about me because we're still fairly new with each other?" It was almost a question for him but she didn't even spare him a glance. Instead, Mikoto took Sakura's hands in her own before giving her a reassuring squeeze.

Oh, how his mother was such a loving and caring woman.

"Well you seem like a very lovely and kind young woman. Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

"Oh, no! I couldn't! I've got to get home and finish some school work—!"

The entire room quieted down and just as Sasuke felt like he could breathe again, the only thing he could hear was the sound of his own heart smacking against his chest. Sakura was completely pale, Itachi's smile faded, and Mikoto stood absolutely motionless in front of her.

Nobody said a word.

"Well good job, Sasuke! You've got a girl who's committed to school," Mikoto cooed before dropped Sakura's hands and wrapping her up in a hug.

Sasuke still couldn't breathe, he could hardly move. It was surprising to him that he kept a straight face, let alone remained quiet as tension began to settle down on all of them — or maybe it was just the three of them that truly knew what was going on? Regardless, he finally inhaled while his eyes found Sakura's.

She looked absolutely sick to her stomach as she nodded and smiled, agreeing with Mikoto before laughing slightly.

"You're sure you don't want to come? I think it would be great for all of us." His mother tried to reassure her and before she could reject once more, Itachi finally spoke up.

"She's going to keep asking until you finally commit to coming."

With that, Sakura nodded slightly, her small smile widening as the color returned to her face. "Then sure, I'll go with you guys."

.

.

.

Usually when Itachi and Sasuke were younger, their mother would take them into the city and to the smallest diner possible. She never explained why, but she would always pass up the high end, classy restaurants and continuously bring them to the same place yet neither of them would complain.

They would always be greeted by the same older woman and seated in the same place towards the back; it was always in the same booth and the three of them would sit in the same seats. Mikoto would usually take the seat across from her boys, allowing the two of them to sit by one another and while Sasuke would always complain about wanting to sit by his mother, Itachi would never let him out of the booth.

It was always such a fond memory, one that he'd never forget and as the four of them entered the small restaurant, he was greeted by nostalgia.

"Haven't seen you guys in awhile!"

It was the older woman from years ago, only her hair was now completely gray and she had wrinkles that adorned her face. She looked as happy as ever though as she took them to their usual seat, placing menus in front of the four of them as they sat down. Mikoto insisted that she sit next to Sakura, while Sasuke sat by Itachi across from the women.

"Just like old times," his brother elbowed him softly before picking up the menu. Sasuke could only scoff before finding Sakura's playful smile and jade eyes looking at him from behind her menu. He smirked back before picking his own menu up and looking through their list.

After a few moments of silence, the older woman had returned with water for everyone and a hot pot of coffee accompanied with sugar and creamer. Once she took their orders, they all sat in a comfortable silence until Mikoto cleared her throat.

"So, Sasuke," she started with a gentle smile.

"Mother," he responded back in an even tone.

"How's your first year of teaching going?"

If it hadn't been for Itachi choking on his glass of water, Sasuke would have answered with a simple "fine", but when his eyes peered over at Sakura, he shrugged.

"Harder than I thought it was going to be, but I enjoy it."

Her dark brows furrowed together as she handed her older son a napkin, her hands coming to rest on the table between them. "I'm glad you enjoy it, dear. Is it what you thought it would be like?"

Another shrug except this time he could feel the heat stirring at the tips of his ears, but Sasuke was thanking himself for growing his hair out over time. "My class listens. There's just other things that factor in that make it hard."

"Hard in what way?" Itachi chimed in, but Sasuke's knee was meeting Itachi's from under the table.

Mikoto's furrowed eyebrows never faltered and when she sat back, she glanced towards Sakura. "They still behave like children when they're together. As a mother, I'm happy to see my boys getting along, but you'd think they would grow out of it at some point."

Sakura merely giggled but it had such an effect on Sasuke that he had to glance away from her and focus solely on the cars that lined the street outside. It was sunny out, hardly any clouds lining the sky and while it was still slightly cool, the snow had finally stopped falling from the skies above.

When their food finally came, Sasuke was too deep in his thoughts to realize that Sakura had excused herself from the table and she was standing outside on her phone. She looked almost upset and the way she talked with her hands answered that for him.

He'd ask her about it later but for now, he watched as she walked back into the building and took her seat next to Mikoto, masking the worry and frustrations on her face with that usual smile before they all began to eat in silence.

.

.

.

"We'll have to do this again, sometime!" his mother spoke as she hugged both Sasuke and Sakura. The three of them stood just outside of the building that Sasuke lived in, rays of light shining down on them as they said their goodbyes.

"I'd love to," Sakura smiled before stepping back and finding Sasuke's arm coming to wrap around her waist. Although she wanted to feel awkward, she felt almost comfortable being this close to him in front of his mother and she didn't even seem to mind. Instead, she offered one more heartwarming smile before hopping back into the car with Itachi.

Sasuke and Sakura watched as Itachi drove away, both of them waving as they exited the parking lot and left the two of them to stand outside the building. It was only when they had turned onto the road and began to drive away that Sasuke pulled Sakura closer to him and began to steer her towards the doors of his building.

They hadn't had time to talk about what transpired between the two of them last night, let alone have enough time to just talk that day and the moment they got up to his condo, he had her back pressed to wall and his hands on her hips, his lips coming to crash against hers.

"Didn't get enough last night?" Sakura teased through their heated kiss and while Sasuke wanted to smirk, all he could think about was _her._

She smelled of fresh flowers, her soft eyes and pastel hair enticing him and hypnotizing him, making him feel like his entire life had been unreal until he met her. Sasuke had never believed in the mushy, bullshit love stories, but when it came to Sakura, he was more than willing to wait a lifetime or two for her.

He was breathing her in now as his lips worked against hers, their tongues tangled in the middle as he hoisted her up against his body, her legs coming to wrap around his hips.

"I can't get enough of you," he breathed out before kissing at the corner of her mouth. Sakura only leaned into his kiss as he trailed soft pecks down her cheek, grazing her jawline and finally tracing his lips against her clavicle.

What he said was true.

Sakura Haruno was all he could think about. She was his first thought in the morning, his last thought before he fell asleep at night. When he decided to adventure into the city, he would think of places that she would like to visit, and when he would smell certain scents, they reminded him of her. He'd swear up and down that her laugh was the loveliest sound known to man, a calming bell in the back of his mind that would put him at ease on his most stressful of days.

It was unreal how he felt for her, but it also the realest thing he had ever felt for anyone. His fingers curled around her bottom, trying to pull her closer to his body as he pressed his nose into the crook of her neck.

She was all he ever wanted.

"Sasuke?" Sakura's concerned tone sounded out before him but he didn't move. He kept her in his arms, his nose inhaling that sweet, flowery fragrant he had grown familiar with and he just didn't want to let go. Not now, not ever.

He'd never admit it, but he felt pain whenever it came to wanting Sakura. It hurt to know that he couldn't have her the way he wanted — not yet, at least. Regardless, it hurt him to know that she was forbidden and as much as he wanted to claim her and hold her close whenever he wanted, he just couldn't.

So in that moment, he held her as close as he could.

Her fingers started to run through his hair while her lips pressed gentle kisses to the crown of his head. A low hum began to calm his overwhelming emotions, taming the beast that screamed from inside of his chest, battling with his heart as he ached over something that couldn't be his. Sakura continued to hum, and when he finally felt his composure return, he lifted his head from her neck and pressed one final kiss to her lips.

"I'll take you home," he spoke with a monotone voice, yet his eyes betrayed him. They were soft, filled with compassion and care and everything that reflected what he was currently feeling in his heart.

When Sakura bit down on her lip, he couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips. "You know what that does to me," he warned but instead of acting on it, he gently put her down and moved out of her way. "Go get your stuff and I'll take you home."

Sakura was quick to skip away from him and down the hall, but he could see the saddened expression in her eyes. It wasn't fair for either of them to be split up, away from one another when feelings this strong had come into play.

It wasn't what he had expected when he first saw her that day in his class; it wasn't what he ever would've thought about doing, but there was something in her emerald eyes that called out to him, almost like a siren's song and he felt nothing but lost and found at the same time.


	28. twenty eight

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Finally got around to updating! I'd like to say thank you to all of you who have been reading this story and leaving comments and just being here for me. It really means a lot and I'm so happy that I've got so much support in this story — it honestly got out of hand.. tHANKS IRENE._

 _Anyway, I'd also like to give a shout out to samarunnn on Tumblr for making fanart of a scene in chapter twenty seven! It literally warms my heart to see work done and words can't explain how happy it made me or HOW FREAKING EXCITED I WAS TO SEE SOME FANART OF THIS FIC! So if you're reading this (or you might be reading on tumblr) thank you so much! Please check their work out, as they are very talented!_

 _I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it. c:_

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

* * *

"Maybe I should try this another day?" Sakura questioned while her fingers curled around the steering wheel. She could hear her heart thundering from within her chest, making her that much more nervous as she kept her foot on the pedal.

"Why would we do that?"

She turned her head to look at her father, clearly feeling the pressure sitting on her shoulders before she shrugged it off. "I haven't even taken classes for driving, and if we get pulled over, we're both going to get in trouble!"

Kizashi laughed at that before patting Sakura on the shoulder and offering a smile. "Just relax, you're doing great."

Sakura huffed before letting her foot off of the brake and slowly applying pressure to the gas. Just like that, the car began to roll forward.

"Don't forget to turn your blinker on," her father instructed. She did as she was told and began to merge into the road, joining the rest of the cars that were out and about and after she felt the nerves start to vanish, everything felt alright.

Her father insisted that the radio remain off while she was learning to drive the car and Sakura was thankful for that. She had enough stuff on her mind already, and if she heard something that remotely reminded her of Sasuke, it would be near impossible to focus on driving.

The two of them sat in the car as Sakura proceeded to drive them around, circling the block a few times before Kizashi instructed her to venture closer towards downtown. Sakura did as he instructed, but when they started down a particular road, she could feel her palms start to sweat.

"Is there any reason why we're going this way?" She asked nervously through clenched teeth.

"Oh, no reason," her father hummed back, clearly enjoying the ride. "We're just trying to get some practice in for you."

Sakura nodded, "right."

Almost instantly, Sasuke's building came into view. The outside always caught Sakura's eye as it was one of the bigger buildings located in this part of town and it was designed to look nice. Her grip around the wheel tightened as she began to turn around the corner.

She felt her entire body go numb when her father started to wave at someone, clearly recognizing who it was and made her blood run cold. Sasuke stood outside his building, waving a hand awkwardly as Sakura and her father drove by and it wasn't until they rounded the corner and he was out of sight that her father looked back at her.

"Why didn't you stop?"

"Because I didn't want to—!" Sakura squeaked out before slamming on the brakes.

Both her and her father's bodies were flung forward, only to be caught by their seatbelts. Kizashi cleared his throat before looking at Sakura with a concerned look in his eye, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" His voice came out soft, almost like a whisper but Sakura was too startled to even think about the volume of his voice.

"Yeah…" she breathed out, "there was a cat."

Silence fell over the two of them before a nervous laugh escaped her father and he patted one of her hands. They were stopped in the middle of the road, Sakura's arms completely extended as she looked forward with wide eyes.

"How about I take over from here? We can stop for ice cream on the way home!" Kizashi offered with a reassuring tone.

Sakura nodded her head slightly before unlocking her arms and relaxing a little. "Yeah, I'd like that."

.

.

.

"Earth to Forehead!"

Sakura blinked her eyes once, twice, three times until she was focused in on Ino's flailing arms in front of her. The blonde looked rather annoyed with her friend all while Sakura flashed a sheepish smile.

"What was your question again?"

A long sigh, frustrated and drawn out before Ino plopped down next to the pinkette. "What are your plans for your birthday? You realize it's this month, right?"

Sakura paused for a brief second before realizing that her birthday was in a couple of weeks. Not only had she been caught up with everything going on with Sasuke, but she had been focusing more on her schoolwork as well as juggling around mending her relationship with her parents. Exhaustion pressed at the center of her forehead, making it seem like a headache but she shook the feeling before nodding her head.

"I think going to the mall and seeing a movie would be fun, wouldn't it?"

"If that's what you want, then we can go do that."

Sakura smiled this time while nodding before hooking her arm over Ino's shoulders and pulling her in for a lopsided hug. "I think it sounds like a good time."

"What sounds like a good time?"

Karin was standing behind the two of them with her tray of lunch in her hands, black glasses fitting over the bridge of her nose perfectly while her fiery hair reflected the rays of sun. Both Sakura and Ino flashed a brief smile before scooting over on the bench and allowing a spot for their friend.

"Sakura's birthday," Ino spoke first before taking a bite of her apple.

"That's coming up, isn't it?" Karin asked with interest coating her voice. To that, Sakura merely shook her head and gulped down the bite of sandwich she had taken.

"Finally! I'm going to be eighteen," she commented with a proud smile.

"And you know what that means—!"

Ino and Karin sat next to each other with smug looks on their faces as Sakura's entire face flushed red with embarrassment. The scarlet color dusted her ivory cheeks, bringing out the green in her eyes as she looked away. Of course her perverted friends would comment on her turning eighteen, because not only did that mean she was a legal adult, but legal adults could do things that minors couldn't get away with.

The mere thought made her blood boil in such a way that it almost felt good.

"Look how red her face is this time!" Karin commented before poking Sakura's cheek with two fingers. "We were only kidding."

"You can't go saying stuff like that though!" Sakura finally hissed, her free hand fanning her face as she tried to calm herself down. "Especially at school!"

Ino waved her off with a smirk before wrapping her leftovers up in a bag. "There's no one around, and plus they wouldn't even know who we're talking about, so chill."

The pinkette sighed before letting her head rest in her hand, her elbow sitting on her knee. It was almost unreal that their senior year would be ending shortly, and not only that, but she would be turning eighteen and her life would be changing — hopefully for the better.

One thing that made her sad, was that after high school, she wouldn't be seeing her friends as much. She wouldn't be seeing Ino's bright blue eyes or her bright smiles that would make her day better. She wouldn't see Naruto, the local sunshine boy who made her laugh on a daily basis and she wouldn't be seeing Karin, her newest acquired friend who she had grown oh, so very close to over the past couple months.

It always made her worry whenever she thought about losing those who were closest to her.

"Hey guys?" Sakura asked softly before glancing over at Ino and Karin. "Promise me we'll still hang out after high school?"

Karin nodded almost immediately while Ino gave the pinkette a dumbfounded look.

"What kind of stupid question— _of course_ we're going to hang out after high school! You really think you can ditch your best friend after we're done here? Well?! Because if you think that's what you're doing, you've got another thing coming your way!"

"Easy, killer," Karin commented before taking a bite of her sandwich and Sakura could only laugh.

"You two take it easy now, I gotta go!" Sakura stood from her seat and grabbed her garbage. As she began to walk away from the two of them, she could feel her cheeks heat up at the conversation happening behind her, clearly inappropriate for the two of them to be talking about but instead of telling them to knock it off, she continued down the hall.

"Are you busy?"

Sasuke's head immediately turned to find Sakura standing in the doorway, her fingers wrapped around the entryway and her head resting against the wood.

Sasuke shrugged before a low grunt sounded from him. "Close the door," he spoke and Sakura did as he asked.

Gracefully and quietly, she walked to his desk until her thighs rested against the wood, her eyes watching him write on papers that he graded carefully. He didn't bother looking back up at her, as he was still working and not taking his lunch like he was supposed to. She couldn't keep quiet for much longer, but before she could say something, he beat her to it.

"Is there a reason why you're here?" He asked with a firm tone before looking up at her with smoldering eyes. He looked tired, almost irritated but she discarded the nervous tickle in her chest.

"I just wanted to see you before heading to another class," she admitted with a soft voice.

"Ah," Sasuke commented before looking down, his hand moving once more to continue scribbling notes on more papers. "Is that the only reason?"

At that, Sakura shuffled slightly, her skirt rubbing against his desk and showing more skin than necessary. Sasuke's head lifted somewhat, his bangs covering his eyes and making it hard to see where he was looking, but Sakura had a feeling she knew where exactly he was looking. Her teeth sunk into her lower lip before she adjusted once more.

"Yeah," she breathed out. "That's it."

A smirk painted its way across his lips, showing some stubble before he brushed his bangs from his eyes and really looked up at Sakura. "Your uniform is out of code. You're showing too much skin, _Sakura._ "

Shivers crawled down her spine when her name rolled off of his tongue. Even the look in his eyes had changed to something she had seen before and it aroused her. Before she took a step away from his desk, her hand came to grab at the fabric of her skirt before pulling it up a little more, letting him get more of a view before a soft whisper fell from her lips.

"Sorry, _Uchiha-sensei._ "

As she tried to turn on her heel and leave him to his wandering thoughts, his voice stopped her in her steps. She could feel her heart hammering against her chest once more while a soft shade of pink dusted her cheeks.

"That's a good way to get yourself stuck here after school with me."

She spun on her heel, her viridian eyes finding him standing at his desk and if it had only been them at this god forsaken school, she would've jumped into his arms on spot. She shook those thoughts from her head before smiling brightly at him.

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Tch," he mused before running his hand through his hair. "Get to class."

.

.

.

Throughout the rest of the day, Sakura found herself twirling her pencil in her hair; her pastel, silk locks would soon unwind themselves before falling back to her shoulder and it was then that she realized just how long her hair had gotten.

"Hey, Shikamaru," she whispered to her classmate who sat next to her. The simple raise of his eyebrow made it apparent that he heard her. "Do you think I should cut my hair?"

This time he ignored her. He blatantly ignored her before scribbling something on a piece of paper and sliding it towards her. She knew that if Anko-sensei caught them talking, it wouldn't end well — that same rule went for passing notes in class, but Shikamaru didn't seem to care.

 **Why are you asking me?**

Sakura scoffed before shrugging slightly and looking back down at the locks that spilled down over her shoulders. It had been quite some time since she had cut it, but now she was actually thinking of cutting it all off. Maybe up to her shoulders, or even above her shoulders? It started to make her giddy just thinking about it, but instead of pursuing her classmate with further questions, she straightened up in her desk until the bell rang.

With Naruto on her right, Ino and Karin walked behind them before departing from one another for their homeroom classes. From there, Sakura found that Sasuke wasn't even in the room, but instead of continuously searching for him, she found herself engaging in a conversation with Karin.

"Where is he?" She asked quietly, trying to keep the conversation to just the two of them but when it came to having Naruto around, that wasn't very likely to happen.

"Where's who?"

Sakura and Karin glanced to Naruto, the blonde kneeling on the floor at Sakura's desk with his bright smile and curious blue eyes looking from one girl to the other before asking once more, "where's who?"

"Nobody," Karin smiled before putting her hand on top of his head and ruffling his blonde locks. Naruto simply swatted her hand away before pouting his lower lip out.

"You guys never include me in on all your hot gossip!"

At this, the rest of their classmates turned at the sudden outburst and Sakura could feel her cheeks flush under the attention. She smiled nervously before waving at them, meanwhile Karin spat out words, telling them to turn around and mind their own business. A breath of relief came from Sakura before she grabbed at Naruto's collar and pulled him closer.

"That's why we don't tell you, because you attract attention," she spoke softly, her green eyes looking at him with a serious look. Naruto's head nodded slightly before she let go and continued. "We're not even talking about anyone that's here."

Naruto's hand cupped his chin before he took another look around, trying to figure out which of their classmates was missing until he finally shrugged and gave up. "Beats me. You girls are always willy-nilly over guys anyway."

Sakura simply laughed at him before she turned in her seat, finding a pair of eyes staring directly at her from the entryway. They were eyes that she was more than familiar with and the burning look that he gave her was enough to make her squirm in her seat.

"Seats. Now." Sasuke ordered as he walked through the door. He had stacks of papers in his hands and Sakura could feel a groan sounding in the back of her throat.

After he did his roll call, he began to go over everyone's tests that he had graded earlier that day. As usual, Sakura aced hers with little to no studying, but they had covered stuff she already knew. She didn't want to say that it was easy or brag about her grades, but it mainly covered subjects from prior years.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what these papers are for," Sasuke grabbed both piles from his desk, each hand holding a stack as he took a seat on the corner of his desk. "I'm aware we're getting closer to your graduation, but that doesn't mean we're done with school just yet."

Soft groans and mumbles filtered throughout the classroom but Sakura couldn't bring herself to make a single noise. All she could think about was the way Sasuke's lips moved when he talked, or the way he slightly nodded his head to get his bangs to shuffle away from his face. Next, she was staring at his hands and thinking about how gently he touched her not that long ago.

It made her bite down on her lower lip, totally disregarding whatever he had just said.

"— this research project shouldn't take you that long, but we will be presenting in front of the entire class, plus some. I'm thinking we could bring underclassmen into the presentation rooms so they can get a feel for what they'll be doing next year, but again, this isn't something that you should halfass."

Chuckles filtered through the room at the fact that Sasuke had said "ass" and Sakura could only roll her eyes.

Immature, she told herself before flipping her notebook open and scratching down a couple of notes. After her teacher handed out the papers, it was then that she realized that this project was going to take more work than all of her previous assignments in class. It wasn't that she was worried about not getting a good grade on it, but it would cut into her Sasuke time and that made her pout slightly.

"Now then, turn to page two hundred and forty three and we'll continue our readings."

.

.

.

"Two weeks, Forehead! Two. Weeks."

Sakura laughed at Ino before pushing the jacket away from her. Both her and Ino decided that they were going to drag Karin along to the mall and it was the last thing the redhead wanted. Now they stood in one of the more fashionable stores that held hipster-like clothing — it was one of Ino's favorites.

She continued to pull clothing from racks and after what seemed like twenty minutes of this nonsense, Karin began grabbing clothes before disappearing to the changing rooms.

"My little girl is growing up," Ino commented before wiping a fake tear from her eye. Sakura swatted at her friend's hand before grabbing a long sleeve from one of the racks.

It had a simple design, adorned with small gems that reminded her of a little girl's shirt, but it was good enough for her taste. Something like a vest would accompany it well and that's what she began to search for.

"So," Ino coughed. "Any plans with the man-friend?"

Sakura nearly choked on her own spit at Ino's question, but once she found her composure, she shot the blonde a heated look. Of course Sakura had plans, but whether Sasuke would want to go that route was what she was worried about. A simple shrug would suffice.

"I'm not sure yet. He hasn't asked."

"Hnf," Ino rolled her eyes before smirking. "Try and hide it all you want, but I know what you're thinking, Billboard Brow."

"Oh, shut it, Pig."

Once Karin returned she only had one pair of leggings and a sweater in her hands. Sakura and Ino approved of her choices before they began searching for "the perfect outfit" for Sakura to wear on her birthday. No matter how much Ino nagged her, the pinkette couldn't get her to cut it out; she simply shrugged at each suggestion, humming her disapproval until they finally found a cute yet simple outfit.

It consisted of a slightly loose sweater, colored in a mint green and sporting the brand's name in large, bold letters in white over the chest. It was simple but it screamed out Sakura's name, so she grabbed at it.

"I think it would look cute with some high-waist shorts and a pair of sneakers," she stated as she held it out once more.

Ino shrugged, clearly thinking it didn't show enough skin, but Karin smiled adoringly at it.

"I think that'd look amazing on you."

Before Ino could try and talk her into another outfit or try to change her mind, Sakura purchased her couple of items and left with her friends in tow.

"Chinese sounds amazing right now," Ino whined before pulling both of them towards the food court. While she wandered off towards that section, Karin and Sakura opted for a smoothie and found a place to sit among the crowded section.

"So, continuing our conversation from earlier—!"

"Forget it," Sakura held her hand up before taking a sip of her strawberry banana smoothie. "I'm not giving any details, because there's none to give. And plus it's inappropriate to talk about a relationship, is it not?" She winked at Karin, only to have the redhead respond with a glare.

" _Easy, killer_ ," Ino mocked before sitting down next to Karin. Sakura smirked from her side of the table until Ino began to question just what exactly they were talking about.

"Pinky here says she doesn't have any deets to spill yet."

"I'm sure she's got a lot to tell us but she's holding out," Ino wiggled her shoulders and eyebrows before digging into the fried rice on her plate.

Karin simply raised an eyebrow in question, eyeing both of the girls around her before her gaze fell on Sakura. "What do you mean?"

Sakura could feel her heart throbbing in her chest, but instead of answering, she continued to ignore them; her cheeks burned from an underlying blush and it took everything in her body to fight it. Once the blonde finished chewing her food, she shot Sakura an all-knowing look, fully aware that her best friend was hiding something from her.

"She's glowing," Ino commented. "So of course there's something that happened and she's not spilling the details."

Karin really took a moment to look Sakura over and it was then that she could feel her cheeks burning. She didn't like having their eyes look at her with such a knowing and curious look, and no matter how hard she fought, her entire face was burning up.

She refused to tell them what her and Sasuke did. It's been kept a secret for this long, so she could keep it from them forever. Once she finished a long, drawn out sip of her smoothie, she sighed before slamming the cup down onto the table and giving them both a soft smile.

"Not sure what you're talkin' about, ladies."

"I call bullshit! Look at that smile! You're definitely hiding something from me," Ino spat out while pointing her chopsticks at Sakura. The pinkette merely shrugged before her smile widened.

"Again, not sure what you're talking about!" Sakura sang out before standing from her seat and grabbing her bags. Before Ino could stop her, she waved her goodbye and fled from the food court, escaping the mall completely until the natural breeze from outside caught her.

Sakura could hardly keep her smoothie down once she started walking away from the mall. Ino and Karin had almost gotten her most deepest and darkest secret from her and she'd be damned if she ever told them what exactly her and Sasuke did — and it didn't just happen one time, it had happened more than once.

Everytime after she had gone over to his condo, it resulted in them kissing one another, eventually engaging in gentle touches and soft moans and it always drove her wild. Just thinking about it made her very core hot with excitement. Her grip on the bags tightened, her nails pressing into the skin of her palms as she tried to bring herself down from cloud nine.

"What're you doing, Sakura?"

Her body tensed up under the voice calling out to her, and when she turned her head, she found Sasuke parked on the side of the road, his window rolled down and obsidian eyes looking straight through her. She swallowed hard before laughing nervously and shrugging.

"Walking home?"

"You live in the opposite direction."

She took this moment to take in her surroundings before she noticed she had exited the wrong end of the mall. Not only was it fairly late, but it was also dark and she could hardly see her surroundings anymore. Now she really felt embarrassed and if she thought she was blushing bad earlier, she was so very wrong.

"Oh." It was the only thing she could say before Sasuke shook his head at her.

"Hn. Get in and I'll take you home," he spoke in a somewhat amused tone and Sakura did as he told her to.

Once she placed her bags in the back and crawled in the front seat, she was greeted with a soft kiss on her lips and his hand on her knee — she wanted more, though. Instead of staying in her seat, Sakura found herself leaning further towards him, her right hand reaching over to cup his cheek before she pressed her lips to his, applying more pressure than he had.

Almost instantly, their lips molded to one another while their tongues met in the middle. Sasuke still had one of his hands on her cheek while his other hand came over to rest on her hip and she wasn't sure when he had done it, but she was now sitting in his lap with her knees straddling his body

 _This was what she wanted._

Things were quickly heating up and just when Sakura began to find the buttons on his shirt, his hands grabbed at hers, stopping her from proceeding.

"What?" she murmured against his lips before looking at him with concerned eyes.

A soft chuckle before he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "I'm parked illegally."

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I just—!"

Sasuke pressed a finger to her lips before lifting her out of his lap and placing her back in her seat. The smirk that pulled at the corner of his mouth made Sakura smile, yet a blush dusted her cheeks with a pink hue.

"Another time." He stated, but Sakura couldn't figure out whether it was just a statement, or if he was asking for her permission. Regardless, she shrugged it off as he began to drive her home.

Their ride was quiet but it was comfortable. Sakura found Sasuke's hand grabbing hers, his fingers intertwining with hers as he continued to drive and she could feel the soft wings of butterflies in her stomach. The moment he pulled up to her house, he didn't release her hand just yet.

Instead, he pulled on her arm before meeting her lips with his, only to pull away and press one more to the corner of her mouth. Sakura paused, goosebumps spreading down her arms as he whispered against her skin. She could feel the stubble from his cheek against hers and it made her shudder that much more.

" _We'll discuss plans for your birthday soon._ "


	29. twenty nine

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _spicy spicy spicy_

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

* * *

She rode out her euphoric high. Her chest heaved with each breath of air while her fingers continued to tangle in his bed sheets. When Sakura tilted her chin back down, it was there that she could see Sasuke placing delicate kisses to the insides of her thighs, his hands wrapped around her legs, keeping her in place; he looked almost too afraid to let go, fearing that if he did, she'd be gone forever.

Her night with him wasn't supposed to go this way, but she couldn't stop herself from kissing him. It escalated from there and before they both knew it, Sasuke was in between her legs, pleasuring her as she moaned his name out and continued to gasp at each of his movements.

"So birthday plans," he started after they both cleaned up from their moment of fun but Sakura could hardly focus. Sleep pried at her green eyes while her body felt heavy. She simply nodded in his direction with a smile before taking a sip of the hot chocolate he had made for her.

"Your birthday falls on a Thursday, and I suspect you'll either be with friends or your family."

Sakura tossed it around in her head before nodding again to which Sasuke hummed low.

"How about we go out on Friday night?"

"What would we do?" Sakura breathed out.

"That's for me to worry about," Sasuke answered with a smirk before taking a seat next to her on the sofa and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Just be at my place by five o'clock."

Sakura swallowed hard as her fingers curled around the warm mug. She could feel that familiar heat ignite between her legs and all of Ino's and Karin's whispers and remarks came flooding through her mind, telling her exactly what Sasuke had planned.

She was completely numb, her lips parting before a soft "okay," fell through them.

.

.

.

"It's my beautiful darling's birthday!" Mebuki shouted.

Sakura stirred in her bed, the smell of a burning candle entering her sinuses before she threw her comforter off of her body and found both of her parents standing at her bedside with excited smiles and a plate that held a stack of pancakes, burning candle included.

"Happy birthday!" They sang out again and as much as Sakura wanted to tell them quiet down, a soft smile grew on her features before she laughed with them. "You're finally an adult!"

 _Adult,_ she thought and it made nausea roll in her stomach. It wasn't that she was scared of being an adult by any means, but because of the build up to finally turning eighteen and she was going to be in for a pleasant surprise come tomorrow. The mere thought made her choke up before her mother's worried expression pulled her from her dirty thoughts.

"Your face is turning red. Are you okay, sweetie?"

Sakura shooed her mother away by swatting her hands aimlessly in the air. She was choked up and flustered, trying to get the image of what her and Sasuke would be doing and it made her cheeks burn that much more.

"I'm fine! Thank you for the pancakes, but I should probably get ready for school now!" She squeaked out before taking the plate from her mother and ushering both of her parents from her room. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she felt her body begin to cool down.

Her back slid down the door before she started to dig into her breakfast; meanwhile she grabbed her phone from her nightstand and began to scroll through texts from friends and notifications from social media platforms. All of the birthday wishes had her on cloud nine before responding back with heart emojis and thank yous, but when she made it to Ino's message, she began to choke on her food.

 _Eighteen is going to make for a good time, Forehead! I love you and happy birthday! ;)_

She felt absolutely embarrassed, but instead of dwelling on the message, she replied with a smart ass remark before opening her next message from Sasuke. Her heart slammed against her ribcage, making her throat dry and mind wander and when she opened it, a soft smiled pulled at her lips.

 _Good morning, Sakura. Happy birthday and I'll see you soon._

Of course, the always thoughtful and flattering Uchiha made her gush over a simple text message and it was enough to get her butt in gear and begin getting ready for the day. She grabbed the outfit that she had picked out at the mall a couple weeks prior and shoved it in her bag; she would change into it after school and go to the mall with both Ino and Karin. After putting on her school uniform she started on her hair, and applied makeup before Mebuki poked her head in the bathroom.

"My baby girl is all grown up," she cooed softly to which Sakura wrapped her arms around her mother and smiled. "Are you still going to the mall with Ino and Karin tonight?"

"Yeah," Sakura answered softly. Her fingers ran through her mother's hair, admiring the silk tresses before she backed away and looked at her mother's eyes. "We also have some plans tomorrow night, if that's alright."

The pinkette bit down on her lower lip, trying to hide the lie she just spoke but Mebuki nodded her head before smiling down at her daughter. "You're an adult now," she commented. "But you still live under our roof. You'll have some more freedom, but you need to remember that you're still living in our house and rules still apply to those under our roof."

"Yes, momma." Sakura chirped before grabbing her bag from the counter and dancing around her mother. "I gotta get going now! Ino should be waiting outside."

Sakura danced down the stairs, greeting her father with a quick kiss to his cheek before waving her goodbyes and finding Ino waiting outside. Her sapphire eyes quickly brightened when she saw Sakura, as did Sakura when she flew right into Ino's arms.

"I got you something!" Ino declared after they let go of each other. Sakura only eyed it suspiciously while Ino held the bag in her hands. She could see the mischievous look on Ino's face but instead of waiting a second longer, she pulled the bag from her friend's hands and began to dig through the tissue paper. "Karin's present will go nicely with it."

Sakura felt her stomach constrict when she finally found the contents within the bag. As much as she wanted to pull it out of the bag, something in her mind screamed out that she shouldn't.

Red.

Lace.

Red lace, and lots of it. Sakura's cheeks flushed once more before she shot Ino a heated look, to which the blonde's grin widened further. Sakura couldn't believe that Ino had bought her something as silly as this, but then she started to think of what she said before finding her present.

 _Karin's present will go nicely with it._

"What did she get me?" Sakura whispered to Ino before pulling her away from her family's driveway. Ino tried to shrug off Sakura's question, but the pinkette was persistent. She wanted answers and she wanted to know what those two heathens had planned but Ino shrugged off all of her answers and finally decided to remain quiet for the rest of their walk.

Meanwhile, Sakura shoved the pink gift bag inside of her own bag; she knew that people would want to see what Ino got her and if she showed them, they would surely judge her.

"Happy birthday!" Naruto greeted both girls at the school doors. Sakura thanked him quickly but ushered him away when she saw Karin's fiery hair come into view and it only made her anxious.

"Pinky, happy birthday," Karin gave her a one-armed hug before pressing a box into her hands.

Sakura could hardly breathe at this point, but she forced a smile at the redhead before stepping back and looking at the neatly wrapped present adorned with a bow in her hands. The box was somewhat small yet big enough for both of her hands to hold onto.

"You don't have to open it now—"

"Yes you do," Ino interrupted before nudging Karin with her elbow and it only made Sakura that much more nervous but the two girls now looked at Sakura with smug faces and glowing, mischievous eyes.

She swallowed hard before pulling at the wrapping. When the box within started to appear, her heart held still in her chest, only the pounding of her ears reminding her that this was real life and when she pulled the wrapping just a little bit more, she instantly shoved the present into her bag.

"Karin!" Sakura shouted, but she realized that she caught more than enough attention for that.

Ino and Karin chuckled lightly before each grabbing Sakura and pulling her inside of the building and straight to the bathroom. Sakura could feel her entire being burning up, a fire scorching in her core as she tried her hardest not to be mad at either of them, but when Ino pulled a smaller box from her purse, Sakura's anger eased up a bit.

"Another thing to go along with both of these?" Sakura pulled both the pink gift bag and partially opened present from her bag and held them out in front of her. Karin chuckled slightly before leaning against the wall with a chill expression lining her face.

"They're just condoms, Sakura."

"Yeah, and I'm still a virgin!" She huffed, but Ino's hand shoved the smaller box towards the pinkette.

"Chill and open this, please," Ino instructed.

Sakura sighed before placing her presents back inside of her bag and grabbed the newest present from Ino. "I swear, if this is more lingerie—" but her words cut off almost instantly when she looked at the shimmering bracelet within the confines of the box.

White gold, adorned with a small cherry blossom charm and it made sakura's eyes water. It was such a small and petite bracelet that before she could even say thank you, the pinkette was sliding it on over her wrist.

"I figured a gag gift would get you going, but I also wanted to get you something nice," Ino commented before pulling Sakura in for another hug and finally, Sakura felt all of her anger melt away.

"It's so pretty, thank you so much."

From the side, Karin cleared her throat before adjusting her glasses on her nose. "I took the pleasure of reserving us a place for dinner, by the way. And don't think about even bringing money in there, because it's already been taken care of."

Sakura could feel her emotions swinging as she stared at her friends. They had definitely gone all out — after teasing her and giving her a hard time — but she felt entirely too thankful for these two women. Before they could escape to class, Sakura pulled both of them in for a hug before giving them each a smooch on the cheek.

"Thank you so much, girls."

Their shared moment was soon ruined by others filtering in through the doors, invading their space but it was clearly time to get to class. Sakura rushed to her locker before going to her homeroom class and just as she finished stuffing her bag in her locker, she turned to see Sasuke perched behind her with a blank expression on his face. He looked almost too serious, but his eyes wandered from her own and to the shimmering bracelet on her wrist; a single brow raised in silent question, but Sakura responded with a gentle smile.

"Ino," she stated softly.

"Hn." He responded before looking away from her. His eyes glanced around, looking down the empty halls before pulling his own wrapped box from his pocket and handing it over. Sakura's heart jumped in her chest, making her blood run cold as she looked at it. "Open it when you can." He stated before wandering off to class.

Sakura stood at her open locker, eyes looking at the box in her hand before she shoved it in her bag and slammed her locker closed. The box was the same size as the box that Karin had handed her earlier and it only sent shivers down her spine looking at it, so instead of opening it then and there, she walked away from it and into Sasuke's class.

He looked tired as he sat at his desk, looking over papers as he waited for the rest of his students to file into his room and just as the final bell rang, he stood from his seat before starting role call and the lesson for the day.

Sakura couldn't help but squirm in her seat, knowing full well that their relationship was about to heat up.

.

.

.

"You guys literally bought me lingerie and condoms," Sakura deadpanned while looking at them from the back seat of Ino's father's car.

Karin scoffed while Ino snorted; both noises that Sakura never thought she would hear either of them make, but she went along with it. Once they arrived at the mall later, the three of them ran from store to store, buying clothes and shoes, jewelry and accessories for outfits they picked out, all but wasting time for their reservations that Karin had made for them.

When it finally came time for dinner, she instructed Ino on where to go. Her car crept down the road, going closer towards downtown Konoha and by the time they parked and got out, Sakura realized just where they were at. It was the restaurant she first met Itachi at and the memory of seeing him with Sasuke and going over their little relationship had her seeing stars.

"God, she's been doing this more and more lately. Stop thinking about what's in Sasuke pants and lets go!" Ino grabbed her arm before pulling her along and Sakura could only gape at Ino's comment — she was going to get her back for that.

Once they made it inside and they had been seated, they each ordered an iced tea and an appetizer (Sakura wasn't even sure what Karin had called it) and each sat and chatted amongst themselves. It was a quiet dinner, fancy yet simple but it was nice and relaxing. It was definitely a good place to go when looking for an escape from a high school life and Sakura felt at ease in her own skin.

That was until her eyes made contact with a pair of obsidian eyes. She nearly choked on her drink before averting her gaze, looking directly at Karin and smiling.

"What's with that look, Pinky?"

Sakura shrugged before looking away. "Not sure what you're talking about."

"And now you won't look at me," Karin commented before turning around in her seat. "Just what did you see?"

Sakura waited for her to find exactly who she had seen and it was only a matter of seconds before a soft coo fell from Karin. "I see," she commented before turning around and smirking. " _The brother._ "

"Oh, shush," Sakura hissed before glancing back towards Itachi and waving slightly. He returned her gesture before looking back at the woman he was with and continuing his conversation. Sakura bit on her bottom lip when the woman he was with turned in her seat, catching her gaze and she instantly saw the way her eyes lit up.

 _Oh, come on_ , Sakura groaned internally and it took everything in her to stay calm as Mikoto excused herself from her table and made her way towards Sakura. By the time she arrived, Sakura could feel her heart in her throat because this wasn't going to end well — or that's what she thought.

"Hello, ladies!" Mikoto greeted with a warm smile and a gentle wave. Ino and Karin both greeted her and when Sakura smiled back at her, it was then that she felt the air in her lungs evacuate her entire body. "Out for dinner, are we?"

"Yes, ma'am," the blonde answered first and when Sakura thought this was going to go south, she was entirely wrong. "Are you an Uchiha?"

Mikoto nodded her head, eyes filled with sparkles from the hanging lights and Sakura couldn't help but admire her beauty. Sasuke truly got most of his looks from his mother; from the way his hair laid, to the curve of his nose, he was almost a spitting image of her.

"I just wanted to come say hello to Sakura before my son and I left! Sasuke had mentioned it was your birthday, and while we wanted to take everyone out to dinner, he had mentioned you were busy tonight."

Ino shot Sakura the mom friend look and it took everything in the pinkette to ignore her friend and focus solely on the Uchiha. She placed her hands over her chest and let out a soft sound, truly feeling bad for not knowing that Mikoto had wanted to make plans for her and her family.

"I'm so sorry, I had no idea—!"

Mikoto held up a hand, her fingers slim and skinny and adorned in different rings. "No worries, my dear. We will all go out another time again, except we'll make it a little more fancy for the special occasion. Happy birthday and I hope it went well." And with that, she winked a goodbye and made her way back towards Itachi before linking arms with her elder son and leaving the restaurant.

Sakura was starstruck. This was the last place she thought she was going to run into Sasuke's mother and brother at, but it also made her feel a little more confident knowing that Mikoto wanted to plan a night out with all of them. She grinned, mostly to herself but Ino jammed her elbow into her ribs.

"That was his _mother_?" She asked in awe, and it took Sakura a moment to answer before she nodded her head.

"Yeah. She's really sweet and nice!" And that was the honest truth. When Sakura had met her, she wasn't sure whether or not Sasuke's mom would approve of her, but the way she took Sakura into her arms after just meeting her had put the pinkette's heart at ease, making their first encounter that much easier.

"I swear, after tonight, you and the man friend are going to grow up and get married and have lots of babies," Karin said casually before taking a sip of her iced tea. Sakura could only hide her face in her hands before their dinner came out.

It was a great birthday spent with great friends that night, but after Ino dropped Sakura off, it was there that she finally checked her phone. She had three messages from Sasuke.

 _I hope you enjoy your night with your friends. Can't wait to see you tomorrow._

A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.

 _Sakura, I can't get you off of my mind._

Something pulled at her stomach, making her heart jump to her throat and it was hard to breathe. Her eyes finally scanned the last of his messages before she booked it inside.

 _Come over tonight._

She threw her bag to the floor before changing out of her clothes and sending a reply to Sasuke. It was short but got the message across and by the time she sent it, she was already changed into something casual yet comfy. Viridian eyes flashed to her bag that lay on the floor, her mind kicking into overdrive as she bit down on her lower lip.

 _I'm here._

.

.

.

Sasuke had her pinned against the wall by the time they entered his home. Before she even got inside of his car with him, she could feel the sexual tension oozing from his vehicle and it did wonders to the area between her legs. Now, her back was flat against his wall, his lips smashing into hers while her fingers tangled in his obsidian locks.

" _Fuck_ ," he hissed against her mouth before rocking his hips against hers and Sakura could feel him against her leg. It only excited her that much more. "You have no idea how bad I want you, Sakura."

By the time he pulled her away from the wall, he had carried her to the sofa in his front room, completely knocking everything off of the end table, lamp and remotes spilling over the edge and crashing to the floor before he had her back pushing into the cushions, his mouth now pressed to the skin of her neck.

Sakura breathed hard, trying to stay sober through it all but the more Sasuke pressed himself against her, the harder it became to breathe — hell, she could hardly think clearly at this point. When he pulled away for a brief moment to look at her, his fingers pressed her messy hair from her face before he pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose.

She was hot and bothered looking into his eyes. She found both lust and curiousity and it was such a dangerous look but he made it look so right.

"Hold on," she whispered to him and she could see the internal struggle flash in those dark pools of his, questioning why she wanted him to wait when they were just getting warmed up. He grunted before letting her slide out of his hold and towards her bag. "Give me just a minute?"

"Hn," he mumbled before she slipped into the bathroom.

When Sakura dropped her bag to the floor, she found the present from Ino with haste. There was so much to it, but once she started to slip into it, she instantly felt sexy and she was more than excited to present herself to Sasuke. Her throat felt dry as she slipped the rest of it on; the cups of the bra already had her breasts pushed up and nearly spilling over, while the red lace hung down over her taut stomach, teasing yet attractive. Even the panties that acquainted the piece had been lace and see through and as much as Sakura didn't want to go out there in just that, another part of her body told her to.

She swallowed hard before looking herself over in the mirror again. Her hair was a mess, but when she ran her fingers through it, she realized that it made for a good look. She felt somewhat silly, being dressed in something so skimpy yet so hot that when her hand came to rest on the doorknob, her heart began to slam against her chest.

"Hey," she spoke in such a soft voice that she wasn't even sure if he had heard her, but when his eyes made contact with hers, she could see the faintest shade of red on his cheeks.

Sasuke Uchiha was absolutely speechless and Sakura felt like she had done something wrong. Instead of going to him, though, she stood in the doorway, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth while she waited for him to just say _something_ — but he didn't say a single thing. Instead, she found that she was being picked up and carried off to his bedroom.

He kicked his door closed before throwing her to the bed and just like that, his mouth was against hers, his hands on her hips as he pushed his knee in between her legs. There wasn't a moment for talking, nor was there a chance for her to even look at him. Their tongues had them both choked up, tasting each other and taking each other in all at once. That familiar heat from earlier hadn't gone away once, and by the time he slid his hand beneath her panties, he inserted a single finger inside of her being going to work.

She moaned into his mouth before her hips lifted slightly. Sasuke wasn't wasting any time to get her completely soaking wet for him, but before he could kiss down her body, Sakura wrapped her fingers around the back of neck, stopping him from going down on her.

"I want to try something this time," she spoke with such a shaky breath and before Sasuke could shake his head no, he was kissing the corner of her mouth and muttering "please."

It took some adjusting for the two of them, but Sakura now had him lying on his back with her fingers pulling at the hem of his slacks. It took her a moment to gather her courage before she leaned over him, her fingers slowly undoing the button and sliding the zipper down and by the time she had pulled his pants down, it was then that she completely felt him.

Hard and ready, her fingers touched him softly over his briefs and Sakura loved the way he closed his eyes and lifted his hips into her touch.

"You have no fucking idea," he breathed out and Sakura wasn't sure if it was the way he spoke or the way he continued to move his hips into her hand, but she wanted to find out what kind of noises Sasuke made when she pleasured him.

Finally, her fingers pulled at his briefs; down his hips and letting him spring loose and her eyes had never seen anything like that. Pure and innocent Sakura, giving in to the hormones that whispered dangerous and taunting ideas into her mind and when she finally wrapped her hand around his cock, Sasuke lifted his hips into her touch once more.

"Like this." He spoke in a raspy tone and just like that, he had his hand wrapped around hers and began to stroke with ease.

It was different feeling than she had ever felt, but it was turning her on with each movement. Up and down, repeated over and over again until she felt her hand tightening around his shaft. She could feel him pulse in her hand as she continued to stroke him, keeping him firm in her hand until he finally grabbed at her arm and pulled her down to kiss him.

"That feels so fucking good, Sakura," and maybe it was the way her name rolled off of his tongue, but Sakura wanted to do more for him. She wanted to feel more and experience more so instead of stroking him, she began to pull away and undo the buttons of his shirt.

Sasuke was a very patient man, but when she released his cock, his eyes were on her and his hands on the buttons of his shirt, helping her remove the fabric from his body before he grabbed her hand again.

"What're you doing?" He questioned, but Sakura ignored him, completely mesmerized by his chiseled body and she wanted to kiss every square inch of him; she placed gentle kisses over his clavicle, his pectorals, his abs, all the way down to his pelvis until her lips finally pressed against his shaft.

He tensed under her touch, his fingers slowly coming to tangle in her hair before she wrapped her fingers around him and held him in place. Slowly, she licked up his shaft and she could feel Sasuke shiver from underneath her before she finally came to his head and ran her tongue over his slit. A rough exhale sounded from Sasuke before she repeated what she had done, and just like that, Sasuke was coming undone.

He no longer held his composure, nor could he control his breathing. His hand pulled at her hair, lifting her chin back so he could look into her emerald eyes and it was there that she smiled at him. "Do you like that?" she asked with such a soft and raspy voice that he let her continue working her magic.

Instead of licking his cock, Sakura finally took him in her mouth. She wasn't expecting him to fill her entire mouth, nor be this big, but now she was panicking. Could she even fit him all the way in her mouth or would he laugh at her if she gagged? Instead of waiting for answers to pop into her head, she began to take more of him into her mouth.

Sasuke hissed at this but Sakura took pleasure in knowing he was enjoying it. His fingers continued to tangle in her hair, pushing softly on the back of her head before she started to pull him out of her mouth but before she spit him out, she sucked on his head and earned a very low moan from the Uchiha.

"Sakura. _Fuck._ "

She couldn't take him in her mouth again because by the time she looked at him, he had her lifted and pinned on her back; he had his body against hers, his hips between her legs and his lips sucking at the skin of her neck. She leaned into the touch, her skin burning with a raging fire at every kiss he left and she knew it was time.

"It's going to hurt," he warned with a low voice but Sakura only shrugged. She didn't care anymore, she was eighteen and she wanted this man more than anything else at this point in time and she'd be damned if she left his place a virgin.

"You're absolutely positive?" He questioned before reaching for the nightstand by his bed.

Her heart continued to hammer within her chest while the blood pounded in her ears. She could hardly hear, hardly breathe, hardly answer so she opted for nodding her head but it didn't suffice.

"I want to hear you say yes or no, Sakura."

"Yes," she begged.

Sasuke was quick to pull the foil package from the drawer, tearing it open with his mouth before rolling the condom over his dick and looking down at Sakura. He placed a kiss to her forward, to her cheek, and finally her mouth while his hands pulled his briefs and slacks off of him completely. Sakura inhaled deeply before squirming underneath him, pulling her panties down her legs and kicking them off to the side before biting down on her lower lip.

"I want to take my bra off," she spoke softly and while Sasuke raised a questioning brow, she nodded with a smile. "I think I'm ready."

"Good," he retorted. It was nothing more than a pinch from his hand at the clasp of her bra and just like that, the entire upper portion of her lingerie came free. She slid the straps down her shoulders, freeing her body of the itchy lace before looking up at Sasuke with an insecure look.

Onyx eyes scanned her entire being. He was stuck on how beautiful she looked while her mind raced through all the negative thoughts she had of herself, but before she could hide herself from his eyes, he stopped her.

"You're beautiful," he reminded her and after he placed a kiss to her lips, he positioned himself at her entrance. "Tell me to stop if it hurts too much."

Sakura braced herself, feeling his head push past her folds and against her walls. It was such a different feeling, almost like a burning sensation. It hurt at first, feeling him push himself into her but Sasuke soon pulled himself back out before kissing at her neck. Once more, he started to enter her, slowly and carefully and Sakura felt her hips lifting to meet his. The pain was almost setting her core on fire, stretching her out as he pushed himself in farther this time and just when she wanted to gasp at the feeling of him pulling out, he began to enter her once more.

"You're so tight," he breathed against her skin.

Sakura couldn't speak though, not with how dry her throat had become at the painful feeling but she didn't want it to stop. She didn't say anything, only wrap her arms around his shoulders and pull at his black hair while he started to pull out before pushing back into her at such a slow, leisurely pace.

After she felt the pain start to subside, that was when she realized Sasuke had been asking her questions. He never stopped holding her hips, never stopped pressing tender kisses to her skin nor sped up his pace. He waited for her command, waited for Sakura to say something, but as he waited, he kept rocking his hips at her pace.

"You feel so good," she whispered into his ear. She could hardly feel her legs at this point and she wasn't sure if that was a common thing or not, but she tightened her grip on his shoulders. "You can go faster."

After she gave him the go ahead, that was when she felt his hips begin to rock against hers at a faster pace. It wasn't much of a difference but Sakura could feel herself tightening around him. The pain continued to pulsate here and there, but the feeling of having him inside of her with her walls wrapped around him had her mind on freaking cloud nine.

Sasuke continued to push and pull, keeping his hips rocking into hers until she finally started to move her own to meet his and just when she thought she was going to want more, she found him slowing down. Sasuke was now looking at her, his hand cupping her cheek before he placed a kiss to her forehead.

There was something so intimate and gentle about her first time that she never thought she was going to get, but Sasuke had shown her his raw and exposed side. She moaned into his skin as he dipped his head into the crook of her neck, his arms coming to encase her shoulders in his grasp and when he began to pick up the pace again, Sakura was losing her damn mind.

She could hardly breathe once Sasuke started thrusting into her at such a fast pace but it was something she wanted, something she was never going to forget. After what seemed like the two of them moaning and groaning, thrusting and grinding, she felt her mind explode into millions of different pieces and Sasuke instantly tense up. He held her in his arms, his grip tightening around her before he finally exhaled against her throat.

Just like that, Sakura felt something flutter against the inside of her chest and she wasn't sure if it was because of Sasuke, but she was pretty sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man.

* * *

 **A/N** : *throws smut at you all* happy birthday, sakura.


	30. thirty

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait. I've been dealing with work (summers are extremely busy), and I've also been taking personal time to relax when I can! So again, apologies for taking awhile to get this next chapter out, but I hope you all enjoy. We're going to start leading towards the end of the story, but there's still a few chapters to go! I'll make sure to give a warning when we're near the end, just wanted to give a head's up._

 _Thanks for all the patience and support you've all supplied me with. I really appreciate it and it's helped me get this far into the fic! I'd also like to announce that Sakura's Secret is officially a year old and it's my longest and most popular fic. So thanks everyone and I hope you like this chapter and what's to come!_

* * *

 **Chapter 30**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

Throughout the following days, it became their schedule that Sakura would return to his condo, meeting Sasuke a block away from her house and he would drive her to his building. Whether it started with kissing in the car, to waiting until they made it back to his condo, by the end of the night, Sasuke and Sakura would be lying next to one another on the mattress of his bed.

He wasn't sure what he liked more — the way she looked when she was close to coming, or the way she breathed his name into his ear. Regardless, he would hold her close before she fell asleep next to him, bare chest to his and it was everything he wanted in life.

"Sasuke?" She murmured softly, voice tired and eyes glossy with promised sleep.

He glanced down at her while his fingers continued to run through her silk, pastel locks. He didn't need to speak, only meet her eyes with his and that's when she smiled one of his favorite smiles.

"I should probably go home tonight," she whispered but there was something laced in her tone that didn't sit well with him. He raised a brow in question, arms wrapped around her as he held her close.

Sasuke absolutely hated when she didn't stay the night with him. It left a bittersweet feeling to sit on his tongue, mind running wild with thoughts when he laid in bed alone, eyes tracing shapes on the ceiling above as he continued to think of her. He wasn't sure when he started to form feelings for her, but now all he craved and all he wanted was the pinkette.

"I can take you home."

He used such a monotone voice, clearly unhappy but he wanted to do what was best for her. After all, she still lived under her parent's roof and what they were doing was still risky business — even the dreams he endured sometimes made him wake up in the middle of the night, sweat coating his forehead while he tried to relax his breathing. He knew they were bound to get caught, but if they could make it until the end of the school year, then things would be good, right?

It was a question he always asked himself, especially when he was alone or on his way to work. It never failed that he would drive himself into a corner of his minding with pounding thoughts while anxiety swelled in his chest. It usually ate away at him, proving that his overthinking mind was stronger than his will of getting over them but Sasuke would always end up thinking about green eyes and soft, strawberry hair.

Sakura was a calming thought for him, one he would always refer to in the most stressful of situations and even now, lying in his bed looking at her, he felt his lips slowly curve at the ends before dipping his head down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

He finally let her go and once she left his side and walked to his bathroom, he already missed the warmth of her own body pressed to his.

.

.

.

Monday mornings always seemed to be the most annoying days to Sasuke. As he sat in his room, he continued to look over papers that he failed to grade over the weekend. It had been over a week since Sakura had turned eighteen and he felt like an idiot for reverting back to his teens years — he could hardly control his thoughts or his other head when it came to her.

He rolled his eyes and pushed his black locks from his face before exhaling. He continued to mark papers, reading through the answers and then grading accordingly.

 _Annoying_ , he thought as he read yet another paper. It wasn't that his homeroom class had a lot of troubled kids, they just never elaborated or bothered to explain their answers and that's what would take him longer to grade. The younger Uchiha usually gave them the benefit of the doubt, though.

Once more, he marked a paper with a good grade and continued onto the next, only to have a small knock on his door pull him from his thoughts.

"Hn," he greeted to the man that stood in the entryway.

The silver haired man smiled from underneath his mask and although Sasuke didn't mind it, the mask usually made his skin crawl. He raised his brow before welcoming him in.

"You're here early."

"I have some work to do, so I figured I would come in and get started," he responded with an even voice. It wasn't every day that the school's principal would wander into his class, but Sasuke figured it was a nice break from the grading and reading.

"Have a busy weekend?"

He raised the opposite brow this time, clearly confused as to why this man wanted to know of his personal business when he never cared to ask before. He opted to shrug before sitting back in his chair, letting it squeak from under his weight.

"There were some activities," he retorted while trying to fight the blush that itched to be let out. This was usually when he thanked himself for having longer hair, because it was easier to cover his face.

"Ah," the man took a seat on one of his student's desks. "I see."

Silence fell upon them, making Sasuke squirm slightly from under the watchful eyes of Kakashi. He didn't bother to look away though, only sat across from the older man and watched as he read the papers that sat on his desk.

"Someone had left me an email this weekend."

His words broke the silence and while he shouldn't have cared, a fire lit in the gut of his stomach.

"And?" Sasuke asked. Why should he care if the principal got a voicemail?

"It's in regards to you, actually."

Now he could feel his mind start to kick into overdrive, thinking of all the possibilities that it could've been about but the only thought that continued to circulate was that somebody probably saw him with Sakura. He swallowed hard before pressing his elbows to the flat of his desk, his chin coming to rest in his hands.

 _Deny, deny, deny_ , he told himself as he fought the nauseating feeling in his stomach.

"I'm not sure if you know him, but the man himself actually works at a different high school. He's not from this city, but he's taken great interest in you."

 _Deny_.

"He's left both his email and number. If he doesn't respond to a call at first, he says you're more than welcome to email him. Although, I would be careful with dealing with this man, as he doesn't have the best of reputations."

It was more of a warning than anything, but Sasuke couldn't quite figure out why Kakashi was telling him this. If the man had taken interest in Sasuke as a teacher, then why did he feel the need to tell him about the other things? He remained quiet and waited for Kakashi to clear his throat before continuing.

"While his high school does exceptionally well and his students excel at everything they do, it's more of a private school than anything. The fact that he's interested in you is a compliment, but as I said before, I'd be careful when it comes to dealing with him."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke couldn't hold it in any longer. He was curious, partially numb to the overwhelming thoughts in his head as he continued to listen to Kakashi.

The man merely smiled from under his mask before shrugging. "Because you're a good man with a good track record. Feel free to look him up before you decide if you want to go through with emailing or calling him. He goes by Orochimaru — should be easy if you look him up under the high school located in Oto."

Before Kakashi left Sasuke to continue his work, he slid a piece of paper with the man's email and phone number onto his desk which Sasuke grabbed at. He held the paper in front of him, eyes scanning the number and words before clicking his tongue.

"Thank you. I'll do my research."

"Have a good day, Sasuke."

.

.

.

He usually took his lunch a little later in the day when he didn't have a class going on. It was typically when Sakura was attending Gai's class and luckily for him, they were doing a physical fitness challenge that day.

Sasuke remembered back towards the beginning of the year when Sakura easily ran the mile, clearly proving that she's more than a pretty face with a tiny body — she's stronger than she lets on, he concluded that day.

Now he's sitting outside with more papers and a bowl of soup before him, eyes casually glancing in her direction whenever it's her turn to perform. Today he's making his class do an assortment of different exercises: crunches, push ups, pull ups and another mile run.

He must've missed her running the mile again, but he can see that she's sweating as she continued to breathe with each crunch that she did. It was easy to see the muscles in her legs ripple when she came back up, while the muscles in her arms adjusted slightly when she went back down. He can't help but smile, looking away and going back to grading paperwork.

He knows her body, knows the way it feels, knows how it looks when he's grabbing her or she's grabbing him. His heart then slammed into his ribcage as he clicked his tongue.

Orochimaru's number is still in the pocket of his shirt and he can't help but continue to think back to what exactly the man wanted from him. As much as he wanted to call, he doesn't; after Kakashi left him in his room, that's when the Uchiha decided to pull him up on the internet and casually scroll through the man's information on there.

There wasn't much, but he didn't exactly have the best of reputations. His school excelled, just like Kakashi had said, but other than that, there wasn't much that many cons to the man. He looked creepy with sleep black hair and snake-like eyes, almost like Sasuke had seen him somewhere recently and it sent chills down his spine.

Gai's whistle pulled him from his thoughts then and that's when he decided to pack his belongings and head back to class. He still had an hour to get through the day and one of his favorite classes was next on the schedule.

He gets to see Sakura, after all.

.

.

.

"I'm assuming you all finished your work that was assigned over the weekend," he started his lecture for the day. His eyes take a moment to glance around the room, mostly to find Sakura's vivid eyes staring back at him, and he can see the playful smile that pulled her lips back as he makes eye contact with her.

"Now," he started once more. "If you could start by turning your books to page —"

"Uchiha-sensei, there's a call in the office for you."

He stopped, his eyes looking at the intercom and listening to the voice coming through it. A glare pulled at his brows before he sighed. He can hear some of his students giggle while others let out a soft hum, jokingly mocking him but he ignored it before walking to the door. What kind of urgent call could it be this time?

 _It best not be that Orochimaru_ , he thought to himself.

"Sakura is in charge until I get back. If anyone is to act up, I expect that she'll tell me." He doesn't do it to intentionally embarrass her, but he hears her inhale almost immediately while some of the other students whined in protest.

He walked at a fast pace, practically rushing to get to the office only to take a call that would interrupt his last hour of the day.

 _They couldn't wait until I was done with teaching?_ He thought to himself as he entered the office. He walked passed the school receptionist and straight to the room that allowed the school's staff to make phone calls if needed.

He saw the light flashing on the phone, and as soon as he picked up, everything around him silenced.

 _"Sasuke?"_

It was Itachi and the tone of his voice was enough to make him sick. Nausea rolled in his stomach while the blood in his body rushed to his ears. He could hear his heart thud there too, beating angrily as he waited for Itachi to continue; he couldn't even speak, let alone answer his own brother because he sounded panicked enough that Sasuke wasn't sure what to think.

 _"It's mom and dad, Sasuke."_

"What? What happened?" He could hardly breathe now as he waited for Itachi's answer. All he could hear was the rushing of people on the other end, tons of conversation and the occasional intercom that sounded in the waiting room at hospitals. His grip on the phone tightened as he bit back his answer and impatience.

 _"They got in a bad wreck. Dad is in critical condition and mom isn't responsive. It took nearly two hours to get her out of the vehicle, according to the police. They weren't responsible for the wreck, but it was a head on collision."_

The more he talked, the angrier Sasuke grew. He wanted to slam the phone back down and run away until he reached his family. Along with the anger, he bit back the tears — he couldn't lose his mother or his father.

"I'll be there soon," he spoke quickly before hanging up and just like that, he excused himself from work for the rest of the day.

He couldn't focus on the cars around him or the honking of people that he had cut off. It was a race to get to the hospital, and by the time he pulled into the parking lot, it was a dead sprint to get inside. From there, he found Itachi sitting in one of the chairs, cheeks pale and face resting in his hands as he rocked back and forth in his seat.

"Where are they?" Sasuke asked as soon as he walked up to his brother. It was clear to him that the staff there had been extremely busy, as there were multiple other people in the waiting room.

Itachi didn't answer, let alone look at his brother. He only continued to rock in his chair until Sasuke placed his hand on his shoulder and stopped him. "Itachi?"

"They're both in ICU. No visitors."

His voice was cold and distant, enough to send Sasuke's mind spiraling into another void of anxiety and overthinking. It became hard to breathe due to the lump that formed in his throat; he could hardly feel his heart in his chest as he let himself sit on the floor next to Itachi.

Sasuke checked his watch then, reading the time before he let his back come to rest against the wall. He knew he was going to be here all night and into the next day, possibly longer than that. Before he got too comfortable, he stood before letting Itachi know he was stepping out to make a phone call.

"Kakashi? It's Sasuke."

 _"Ah, I heard you had to leave today. Is everything okay?"_

 _Is everything okay?_ Sasuke wanted to laugh, he wanted to scream and yell into the phone but he bit back the urge to get angry and opted to sigh instead.

"No."

His response was short, cold, distant — much like Itachi's voice had been only minutes ago. It took him awhile to continue, but there wasn't anything left for him to say. On the other end of the phone, he could hear Kakashi type away at his computer before the squeak of his chair sounded.

 _"Take the rest of the week off."_

It wasn't that Sasuke wanted to take the rest of the week off, but he wasn't going to argue it. His father was in critical condition and his mother wasn't responding; he needed to be here for them, be brave and strong for Itachi while they waited for answers and being at work just wasn't going to cut it.

"Thank you," he responded before hanging up.

When he glanced at the screen on his phone, that's when he saw not one, but two messages from a certain pink haired girl. It set his heart ablaze, fire searing in his lungs as he thought about what he was going to say to her. Instead of opening the messages though, he instead pulled the piece of paper from the pocket of his shirt.

His dark eyes read over the number, taking in what Kakashi had said and what he had read on the internet about Orochimaru, but there was something nagging him in the back of his mind. Sasuke knew he was going to have to help out his family, whether it be with medical expenses or trying to get them back on their feet.

He knew that the job he had now wasn't going to supply enough money. In inhaled deeply before shoving it back in his pocket and headed back into the hospital.

His mind was in too much of a haze to be making decisions that serious and permanent right now. Once he entered the hospital, he took his seat next to Itachi and in silence, they began the long waiting process until it was time to see their parents.

Even then, he didn't feel any sort of attachment to anything in the world. His chest was numb, his mind empty and heart completely shattered at the news of his parents.

.

.

.

It was now three in the morning and there had been no news on their parents. Itachi was fast asleep next to Sasuke and as much as he wanted to sleep, he couldn't.

Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and typed up an email, sending it almost as quickly as he had typed it.

 _I'd like to set up a time to call you in the near future, Orochimaru._


	31. thirty one

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Thanks for reading and leaving reviews. I appreciate you guys!_

* * *

 **Chapter 31**

* * *

"Where in the hell has lover boy been?"

The smell of nail polish filled Sakura's room as Ino admired her work. She had spent the last half hour painting her nails in a lilac color, and now that she's finished, her undivided attention is on Sakura and her love life. It made the pinkette flush in color as she looked away, eyes scanning the blank screen on her phone.

"I'm not sure. He hasn't been at the school and he hasn't answered any of my texts, either."

Sakura finally grabbed the bag of nail polish that Ino had brought over, and before she even got a chance to start looking through, Ino had already picked out a color for her.

"Here," she said before handing it over and to Sakura's surprise, it was a soft green color. "Seafoam green will go great with your skin tone."

As she began to paint her filed, shaped nails, Ino continued to talk as she waved her hands around her, rushing the polish on her nails to dry faster.

"He hasn't even called you?"

"No," Sakura muttered, focusing solely on getting the polish on her nails and not her skin. "As much as I want to give him his space, I'm getting kind of worried."

"Mostly because you spend every night at his place, right?" Ino retorted with a wink before Sakura shot her a glare.

Ever since Sasuke left their class on Monday, she hadn't seen him since. She left him a couple of text messages, asking him if he wanted her to bring him his stuff that he left at the class, but he never responded. It was now Wednesday and she had yet to hear from him; the silence was starting to cast a lonely feeling throughout her body.

"Is his phone even on?" Ino asked next and Sakura nodded.

"I tried calling him last night, but it rang through to his voicemail."

"Did you leave him a voicemail?"

"Well, no." Sakura admitted shyly. Ino shot her friend the "mom look" before rolling her azure colored eyes.

"You should try to call and leave him a voicemail, then." She suggested, but Sakura felt uneasy about the suggestion.

As much as she wanted to call Sasuke and leave him a voicemail, something in her heart told her to leave him alone and give him space. She had tried to contact him more than once; she didn't want him to think that she wasn't there for him, but the mere fact that he was ignoring her was starting to hurt her feelings.

Instead of breaking down and crying in front of Ino, she finished painting her nails and laid back on her bed. Her mind was lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and as much as she wanted to talk about it to Ino, there was something more comforting about sitting in silence and having her best friend's presence there to comfort her.

After what seemed like five minutes of lying on her bed, Sakura finally sat up only to see that Ino was fast asleep on her floor. The pinkette scoffed before glancing over at the clock, surprised to see that it was already four in the morning and she must've fallen asleep earlier. She sighed softly before waking Ino up and helping her up into her own bed.

From there, the two of them laid in silence, only Ino's soft breathing keeping her mind at bay until the blonde finally stirred.

"You should get some more sleep. We have to get up in a couple of hours, and I don't want you being mopey and tired all day."

It was meant to be sarcastic and soothing, but Sakura took it to heart and acknowledged that behind her friend's words, she said it from the bottom of her heart. She knew that Ino cared about her, knew that her best friend wanted the best for her, but she wasn't going to sugar coat everything— that wasn't how their relationship worked.

Instead of letting her thoughts take over her mind any longer, Sakura finally rolled over onto her side, her head coming to rest on Ino's shoulder until her breathing fell in sync with the blonde's.

She loved that she could always rely on her friend, even when she needed her the most.

.

.

.

"I'm going to stop by his place tonight," Sakura said as she closed her locker. Ino and Karin stood at either side, nodding and agreeing with Sakura that it may be best to see if he was there. If he was there, Sakura just wanted to check on him and make sure that he was actually okay.

"Let me know if you need a ride home," Ino wrapped her arm around Sakura's shoulder before pulling her closer. "And don't do anything stupid!"

Sakura laughed before pushing Ino off of her, meanwhile Karin laughed from the side and as soon as they exited the building, Karin and Ino walked in the opposite direction of Sakura. She knew it was going to be somewhat of a long walk, but she didn't seem to mind it so much.

The cool air helped clear her mind as she walked along the sidewalk. The flowers around her had finally started to bloom, as well as the cherry blossoms that littered the city. Not only did they look pretty, but they also smelled pretty; it was one of Sakura's favorite times of the year.

By the time she reached Sasuke's condo, she found that his car wasn't even parked outside. Her cheeks heated up almost immediately while her heart started to hammer away in her chest. Once she got in the elevator and reached his floor, she felt nearly weightless as she walked towards his door.

The floor was quiet, not even his neighbors could be heard and it was unsettling to Sakura. She could hardly breathe as she walked closer, growing nearer to his door and once she was standing in front of it, it was almost like time itself stood still.

She held her hand up to knock on the door, and just as she was about to make contact with the wood, a soft voice startled her.

"Are you looking for the young man that lives there?" She asked with a kind smile.

To Sakura, she looked like she could be in her eighties; she stood with a cane, her back slightly arched while she waited for her small dog to come back to her. Sakura felt embarrassed that she hadn't even heard her open the door, and now that she stood in front of Sasuke's condo with an expressionless look, she casually cleared her throat.

"I, uh— yes I am."

The older woman nodded her head before pressing a finger to her lips. "I haven't seen him since Sunday night. I know that he's a teacher at one of the schools around here, so he probably left Monday morning, but it's been really quiet on that end of the building."

Sakura bit down on her lip then, her heart hammering away at her chest once more and making it nearly impossible to breathe. She had to swallow the tears that threatened to fall, had to bite back the questions that she wanted to ask but she knew this lady probably didn't know anything about what was going on.

"Thank you for the information. I guess I'll try giving him a call again!" Sakura said as positively as she could before walking back to the elevator.

The old woman nodded her head before waving, and with that, Sakura felt absolutely defeated as she began her walk back home. The air suddenly felt colder, biting at her skin as she walked in slow strides; she kept her phone's ring on, hoping that Sasuke's ringtone would start up any second but by the time she arrived home, she never received a call from him.

Once inside, she could smell the food that her mother is cooking from the kitchen. She didn't greet Sakura while she removed her jacket and shoes, but when Sakura rounded the corner to the kitchen, she felt the tension in the air almost instantly.

Her father was gone, she noticed, but her mother was currently standing at the stove with her arms crossed with a pissed off looking lining her facial features. Sakura dared to enter, dared to draw closer to the woman but something in her gut told her to advance.

"Hey, mom," she greeted, but her mother didn't bother looking at her.

She bit at the inside of her lip now, waiting for _something_ but when her mother finally spared her daughter a glance, she could see anger swirling inside of her glossed over eyes. Sakura swallowed hard, preparing for what was to come.

When her mother did move, it made Sakura flinch slightly. Not because of her mother moving so suddenly, but because of the box in her hand.

"What are these?"

Sakura looked at the box in her mother's hand, panic and worry coursing through her body as her heart thumped in her chest. Her mind was already trying to think up a lie, but her mother wasn't that dumb. Instead, Sakura looked down, feeling ashamed for being so stupid and leaving that box lying out in the open

 _At least it wasn't open_ , she told herself, but the look on her mother's face is enough to make her body feel weightless. She can feel her fingers shaking, knees throbbing and stomach churning with nausea.

It's just her luck that her mother found the birthday present from Karin. And it's just her luck that she found it today of all days. Sakura can't fight the blush on her cheeks, she can't even find the dignity to look her mother in the eyes.

"I'm disappointed, Sakura."

The words burn, searing hot, leaving an imprint on her heart that only made her mind think more negative thoughts that day.

"I'm sorry, mom—"

"Just go to your room. I'll let you know when dinner is ready."

Somewhere deep in her mind, she knew that her mother would be upset with her if she ever found condoms in her daughter's room; the fact that she had found them, though, leaves a hole in Sakura's stomach and it made it harder to breathe that night.

After she stomped upstairs and into her bedroom, Sakura crawled into her bed and began to just lay there. She could hardly think, hardly process just how in the hell her life had been so good only days ago, and now it had started to spiral out of control.

First she lost contact with Sasuke; he wouldn't reply to her texts or her calls, he wasn't even home and not only did that put an uncomfortable amount of weight on her heart, but now her mother was pissed off at her for being a teenager and having a box of unopened condoms in her bedroom.

"It's unfair."

When she finally rolled onto her side, that's when she found the small box on her nightstand from Sasuke. She felt completely and utterly stupid for forgetting to open it, and as she reached for it, something inside of her snapped.

Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she grabbed the small box and pulled it to her. She began to open it with a single hand, and once she looked at the contents in the box, she couldn't hold back her emotions. The floodgates finally broke loose, letting her tears roll down her cheeks as she sobbed quietly to herself.

Inside was a white gold necklace, holding the smallest of diamonds at the center of the chain. A small note had been attached to the roof of the box and when Sakura read it, she was in complete hysterics.

 _Happy birthday, Sakura._

She couldn't control the tears that continued to fall, she couldn't control the loud sobs that filled her bedroom; when her mother finally knocked on her door, she opted to ignore it.

"Sakura?" Her mother called, voice softer than it had been earlier but Sakura refused to answer.

She continued to lie on her side, her eyes running up and down the chain of the necklace that Sasuke had bought her while she ran the padding of her thumb over the stone. It was absolutely beautiful, obviously expensive and it was the last thing she had left to remind herself of him.

She swallowed hard, trying to rid the sandpaper feeling in her throat before tears began to fall once more. When she finally worked up the nerve to put it on, she glanced in the mirror on her wall, loving the way it adorned her broken and shattered image.

 _Maybe he'll be back tomorrow._

.

.

.

Ino's whistling broke her mind from the pity party she had been lost in all night and morning, and now that her friend grabbed at the necklace around her neck, Sakura's protective instincts kicked in.

"Be careful, Pig." She snapped, and it was much to her surprise that Ino actually flinched at her words. Sakura wasn't sure why she reacted the way she did, considering she called Ino that almost every day.

"Woah, what's wrong with your eyes, Pinky?" It was Karin who spoke up, catching the attention of Naruto who sat at their table as well but Sakura let her head drop, focusing solely on the paperwork in front of her.

"Nothing," her response was short, voice dry and words soft.

Her friends around her are quiet, waiting for her to say something else but when Naruto scooted his chair towards her, that's when Sakura could feel the tears start to form behind her eyes again. She told herself that she was going to be strong today, that if anyone asked, she was fine; when Naruto drooped his hand over her shoulder though, that's when she couldn't keep up her strong act.

"I know we haven't been as close lately, but I'm concerned about you."

He used his soft and concerned voice, warm and sad all at the same time and by the time she finally leaned into his hold, that's when she spared Ino and Karin a glance. From there, she could see her own sadness reflect on their faces and it hurt her to know that her friends felt sad only because she felt sad.

"I'll be okay, guys. I promise," she wiped at the tears on her cheeks, noticing the smeared and leftover mascara from last night didn't quite come off in her shower.

"You'll be okay, yeah," Naruto agreed. "But you're not okay right now, so let us comfort you the best that we can."

"Yeah, Pinky. We're not here to watch you fall apart at the seems. That's just not what friends do, ya know?"

Ino looked like she wanted to cry too, feeling the same pain her friend from childhood was feeling and just when Sakura thought she was going to let the tears start to flow, that was when she scooted closer to Sakura. Once she was at her friend's side, Ino took the pinkette from Naruto and wrapped her up in a tight and reassuring hug.

It was like one of the hugs from when they were younger, when Ino would protect Sakura from all of the bullies before pulling her in for a hug and running her fingers through Sakura's short locks.

"I'm sorry, Sakura."

The pinkette inhaled hard at that point, swallowing back the tears, the pain and the sobs — all of it had been sitting on her chest and making it hard to breathe for the last twelve hours. When she finally exhaled, she imagined getting rid of all the negative thoughts, all the sadness and built up stress from the night before.

"Let's just get through today and we'll figure something out, okay?" Ino cooed softly from next to her before she pulled away and held Sakura's face in her hands. She proceeded to wipe at the smudged makeup from under her eyes, removing the black streaks before offering a soft and gentle smile.

"In the meantime, let's go get you fixed up in the bathroom, alright?"

Sakura nodded before leaving Karin and Naruto at their table. Ino's hand held Sakura's, her fingers curling around her knuckles as she pulled her away from all the wandering looks and whispers.

Ino made quick work with Sakura's look for the day. Once she finished cleaning up the makeup around her eyes, she applied a small touch of concealer to cover up the bags and the red, irritated skin. When Sakura glanced at herself in the mirror, it was like seeing an entirely different person — only she was wearing the necklace from Sasuke.

She grabbed at the necklace, her fingers holding the stone in place as she let her eyes wander.

"Did he get that for you?" Ino asked softly.

Sakura nodded her head before turning to let Ino see it again. She had snapped at her best friend earlier, being protective over one of the things that she found special; this time, Ino made sure to scoop it up gentle, her nails brushing the skin of Sakura's chest as she examined it.

"It looks really expensive," she complimented before placing it back down. Sakura's hand came to grab at it again, holding it in place as close to her heart as she could.

"So after school, would you like to go get a coffee and maybe talk about some events that will be happening?"

Sakura shot her a confused look before Ino's features lit up.

"I'll explain things then, but for now, let's get to class."

And as much as Sakura wanted to be strong throughout the rest of the day, sitting in her homeroom class with a substitute teacher was doing anything but helping her get through the day.

.

.

.

"What do you mean _prom_?" Sakura asked, clearly unenthused about it but Ino sighed in annoyance.

"Come on, Forehead! It's senior year, you can't just skip out on an opportunity like this. Plus we've been fundraising to host this, so at least come and hang out with your friends."

Sakura held onto her cup, her nails tapping the glass before she took a drink. The last thing she wanted was to hang out with her friends while they hung out with other guys; but she also wanted to be surrounded by people and not locked away in the confines of her bedroom. She rolled her eyes before a sigh pressed through her thin lips.

"We still have a month, but tickets will be sold shortly at school. You'll need one to get into the dance. And we'll need to find you a dress!"

Sakura was slowly starting to tone Ino out, her thoughts tracing back to someone else and it picked at the strings of her heart. She could feel her eyes gloss over while her mind zoned out; she was tired, her eyes hurt, her soul felt discombobulated and all she wanted was to hear from _him_.

"I'll let my mom know, but I doubt she'll let me go…" Sakura finally said. She felt stupid for forgetting such an important thing that had happened last night, but since her mom hadn't reprimanded her, she completely and utterly spaced about it.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked in such a monotone voice that it made Sakura giggle slightly.

"Well… remember the condoms that Karin got me?"

"Oh! You finally used them?" Ino winked before smiling mischievously. Sakura threw a balled up napkin at her before leaning back in her seat.

"No, not exactly." She blushed, the color of pink nearly matching her hair. "My mom found them in my room…"

"Oh my god."

"Yeah…" Sakura's voice trailed off but she couldn't get over the look on Ino's face. It was a cross between highly amused and concerned but she shrugged it off.

"Are you in a shit ton of trouble?"

"We haven't really talked about it, honestly. I got sent to my room last night, but that was about it."

"Jesus, Forehead! Why didn't you tell me? I can totally take the blame for it. My mom has found countless condoms in my room, but she'd rather me be safe about it. I can't believe your mom totally flipped."

Sakura shrugged again before looking away. "It's not really common for my mom to find that sort of stuff in my room, Pig."

The blonde smiled before glancing around and when she looked back at Sakura, she wasn't entirely sure that she liked the look on Ino's face.

"Imagine if she knew who you planned on using them with."

"Ino Yamanaka!" Sakura yelled before slapping her hands over her face. Her friendly only laughed before apologizing shortly after, but even then, Sakura felt comfort in being able to laugh with her friend.

She felt better.

She felt better until she glanced at her phone and saw that she had a missed call and a text message from her mother. That's when she felt her heart slowly crawl to her throat, making it hard to breathe; when she opened the text, everything in her body fell to the feeling of pins and needles.

 _Home, now. We need to discuss what happened last night._


	32. thirty two

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

 _Hello, me again. I appreciate all the feedback and hope you're all enjoying the story still. I'm happy that I've finally hit 100k words! It's a huge accomplishment for me c: anywho, lemme know what you think!_

* * *

 **Chapter 32**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

"Why don't you go home and get some rest today, Sasuke?"

He didn't want to take the time to glance over at his brother. He knew that he would find the same broken look in those onyx eyes of his and he refused to even acknowledge that Sasuke himself mirrored that very same look.

It was now Friday evening; a whole week spent at the hospital (minus the time he ran home to grab a bag of fresh clothes) and while they received good news on their father, their mother still wasn't responding. She had been unconscious since arriving, announced to be in a coma and it shattered both Sasuke's and Itachi's souls. Neither one of them left for very long, and if they did, it was to take a quick shower and return.

When it came time for Sasuke to finally leave, something told him not to. He didn't want to leave this building, scared that if he left he wouldn't have the opportunity to see his mother again. When they finally allowed both of the Uchiha brothers to see her, she looked so peaceful in her bed, hooked up to all sorts of different monitors and machines.

It was heartbreaking, honestly.

"Sasuke." His brother interrupted his thoughts. "Go home."

"I don't want to. And don't treat me like a fucking child."

"You can come back after you take a shower and have a proper nap. You look like shit."

Sasuke dared to glance in the direction of the automatic doors, knowing he would see his reflection; shattered and broken, surely a mess and he refused to even look at himself. Instead, he let his chin tilt down until his hair fell over his dark eyes.

The younger brother inhaled before finally putting his legs to use. "I'll be back."

It wasn't that he wanted to leave. He would've stayed if it hadn't been for Itachi practically begging him to leave; the last thing their family needed was for them to get in a fight while their father was undergoing surgeries to put him back together properly and their mother fought to return back to reality.

It was a nightmare.

He didn't have time to think about his drive, his mind taking over and getting him home safely. He felt empty by the time he arrived, sitting in his parked car in front of the building and just when he thought he saw Sakura, it wasn't her.

His heart fluttered inside of his aching chest. It was the first time he felt some sort of comfort, but then again it also ached to feel that much anxiety and adrenaline strike at once. He opened his door and hopped out, dark eyes focused on the lady before him.

"Ah, it's been awhile!" The older lady greeted, her soft smile as warm as ever but Sasuke couldn't quite return it.

He waved his hello, nodding his head as he grabbed his bag from the backseat. He wasn't up for conversation, considering his stomach was empty and his head was filled with repetitive thoughts. It was frustrating, irritating, _annoying_.

He closed his door and locked the car before slinging his bag over his shoulder and began to walk towards the doors; the lady next to him grabbed at his sleeve, giving him a slight tug until he turned to meet her sad eyes.

"I did what you asked," she said in such a soft voice that it made him quiver. "She stopped by… I told her you haven't been around."

Sasuke couldn't form words, could hardly breathe before he swallowed hard. He couldn't rid the sandpaper feeling in his throat and as much as he wanted to say thank you, he just couldn't. Instead, he nodded once more before walking inside and going up to his condo.

It was quiet and cold once he entered. It wasn't as lively as it had been, it wasn't warm and welcoming— it just wasn't the home he had grown used to. He wasn't fond of it anymore, he wasn't comfortable in it anymore. He felt like a caged prisoner, forced to be somewhere that he didn't want to be and as much as he wanted to leave, he knew that Itachi would scold him if he returned back to the hospital so soon.

He tossed his bag to the side and kicked his shoes off before wandering towards his bathroom. When he entered, he turned the shower on, and watched as the current waterfalled to the bottom of the tub.

After stepping inside, he let the scalding water burn into his skin, trying to clean the feeling of loneliness and isolation away but to no avail. When he finally ran his fingers through his black locks, he felt something within him snap.

Sasuke wasn't one to cry. He wasn't one to express his feelings to others, but right now he felt broken and tattered, a victim to his own thoughts as he leaned against the cold tiles of the wall. The water continued to beat against his back, drowning out the feeling of pins and needles and just when he thought he could do this, everything else in his mind told him he couldn't.

The rest of his night consisted of him lying in his bed, sweats hugging his hips as his comforter was bunched up next to him; he imaged having Sakura laying next to him, hugging onto him as she slept soundly but he knew it was only his imagination playing games.

The story of Sasuke and Sakura was no more.

He grabbed at his phone before looking at the email he received back from Orochimaru. His eyes scanned over the words, reading them over and over like he had been doing all week but unlike the last time he read, this time he felt a pounding headache form right at his temple, aching as he squeezed his eyes shut.

 _Greetings, Mr. Uchiha._

 _I wanted to get in contact with you to discuss some rather serious things. While it shouldn't be any of my business, it's come to my attention that you are currently in an ongoing relationship. It's not like any ordinary relationship that is appropriate though, as it is with one of your students._

 _This isn't the reason why I've contacted you._

 _While I believe you're a good man, you're also very intelligent and smart about your choices — although, I wouldn't say that your relationship is one of your best decisions. I'd like to help you overcome that. I would like you to join me at my school in Oto, teaching and being respectful of the students there because I believe you have a lot of knowledge under your belt._

 _This isn't exactly an invite. I'd rather you come and teach at my school without hesitation; there could be a lot on the line if someone were to find out of your relationship with Sakura Haruno._

 _Please, give me a call when you'd like to talk more and let me know what your decision is._

Sasuke dropped his phone on his bed before nuzzling his nose into the mess of blankets on his bed. They still smelled like Sakura, reminded him of what they had done countless of times in his own bed and reminded him of the feelings that continued to ache in his chest.

This wasn't just some fantasy he had, it wasn't some measly crush.

He felt something deeper for that girl and he hoped, wished, dreamed that it would've gone away at some point but they were too far in now. Not only were her emotions on the line, but his reputation, his job, his family's name.

All of it.

All of it was starting to be too much; he should've listened to Itachi's warning, he should've told his mother the truth, he should've turned his back on her when found her wondering down that road with her blonde friend.

Instead, he opened up to Sakura and embraced her with open arms and an open heart. He gave so much, let his feelings flood through open gates and let that young girl weasel her way into his heart and he felt so lost and afraid now.

He grabbed at his phone once more that night, unlocking the screen and tapping on his messages. He still had unopened texts from her and it pissed him off that he was going down a path that Sakura couldn't follow.

He ruined her, took her innocence and she was so caught up in her feelings for him that at this point, he wasn't sure if she cared that they got caught or not.

Now it was an internal struggle for Sasuke: give up on Sakura and move away, or stay with her and risk being thrown in prison?

Sasuke swallowed hard before threading his fingers through his still damp hair. He finally tapped on the messages from Sakura and began to read.

 _I saw that you left your stuff at school. I can grab it and run it over if you'd like. I'm also concerned about you! You kind of disappeared in the middle of class. I hope everything is okay._

He felt his chest ache once more while nausea rolled in his stomach. His headache worsened as he continued to read through the messages from her.

 _Hey, I haven't seen you in a couple of days. I stopped by your place to check on you, but you weren't there. Please let me know if you're okay._

His grip on his phone tightened.

 _I miss you._

He wasn't sure what hurt more, knowing that he was hurting Sakura or how much he fucking missed her too. It was painful to refrain from texting her; he had to put space between them.

As much as he wanted to call her and tell her what was going on, he figured it best to hide in the shadows and stay away from her. Even though she was an adult, she was still his student and people would deem it highly inappropriate that he was a relationship with his student — considering it had turned into a psychical relationship.

He sighed heavily before putting his phone away and rolling onto his back. His dark eyes stared at the ceiling above while his mind continue to roll in turmoil, thinking of everything he did wrong in the past couple months.

"What a fuck up you turned out to be, Sasuke."

.

.

.

"You still look like shit," Itachi commented as Sasuke strolled into the hospital and took a seat next to him. He handed over the cup of coffee that he had picked up for his brother, ignoring that wandering gaze he was still receiving.

"Couldn't sleep," Sasuke countered as he rolled his shoulders. "Any news?"

"Father is finished with his second surgery and is currently resting. Other than that, nothing new."

"Can we go see mom?" Sasuke inquired.

Itachi chewed on the inside of his lip for a moment before standing from his chair and wandering towards the receptionist desk. From where Sasuke sat, he could see the flirtatious look on Itachi's face but it quickly passed when the receptionist grabbed at the phone.

After a quick moment of talking, she nodded her head and Itachi glanced back at Sasuke, beckoning him with his head.

"Leave the coffee," he instructed and Sasuke did.

Before he knew it, they were being lead into the back, walking down various hallways until they reached her room. He felt a flock of butterflies in his stomach when the nurse started to open the door, peeking her head in to check on their mother before giving them the okay to proceed.

Her room was quiet, only the soft beeping of her monitors echoing against the plain walls in the room. Sasuke and Itachi shuffled inside, creeping along as quietly as possible until they reached the other side of the room.

The seats were like those in the receptionist area, minimal cushions and stiff but Sasuke didn't seem to mind this time around. His eyes were settled on his mother; she was wrapped up, stitches and bruises adorning her beautiful face and a mask placed over her nose to help her breathe.

The soft rise and fall of her chest was the only indication that she was alive and it pained Sasuke to see her like that.

Instead of remaining seated like his brother, he began to pull his chair closer to her bed until his knees tapped against the metal frame. She didn't move, didn't flinch; it was cold in the room but the blanket she had on her was warm and soft.

"Hey mom," Sasuke spoke softly. Itachi shuffled from behind him as he swallowed hard and continued to look at her resting form.

"Itachi and I came to visit you again. I can't speak for him, but I miss hearing your voice."

He felt himself choke up slightly, throat constricted as he tried to get a fresh breath of air. There were so many things he wanted to tell her about, so many things he wanted to ask her, confide in her and just get some advice… but she couldn't answer him.

His head dropped and his hand grabbed at hers, careful of the IV in her skin. He stroked his thumb over her cool knuckles, reminiscing the way she would hold his hand when he was younger. Sasuke finally toned out Itachi's presence and all he could see was his mother.

"I've done something stupid recently," he admitted. "I'm going to try to make up for it. But in the meantime, I've decided on working at a different school."

"What?" Itachi asked from behind him.

Sasuke ignored him and continued to focus on Mikoto. His grip on her hand tightened slightly.

"I want to tell you something when you wake up…" his voice trailed off but he continued to fight the tears that pricked the backs of his eyes. "So wake up soon so I can tell you."

He sat in silence for a moment, continuing to fight the tears that wanted to fall but he couldn't bring himself to do that infront of Itachi; when he finally loosened his grip on Mikoto's hand, he felt her finger softly twitch in his grip.

Sasuke's head whipped up, his hair falling in his face as he looked at her. She continued to lie still, her exhales filling the mask with steam before she inhaled again. His eyes remained on her before he stood from his seat and took a step back.

"We'll be back," he promised before turning to Itachi. "Is there anything you want to say?"

"No," he commented before standing from his own seat. "Let's head back."

.

.

.

"Why are you going to a new school?" Itachi asked with interest laced into his tone.

The two of them sat at the diner that their mother always took them to. They were seated across from one another, looking into each other's eyes before Sasuke shrugged.

"More money." He lied.

"Bullshit." Itachi could see straight through it.

Sasuke merely glared at his brother before taking another bite and washing it down with his glass of water. He hated confrontations from his brother, especially when Itachi could see right through him; he inhaled before shrugging once more.

"Is it because of the stupid thing you did recently?"

It was like a blow to his gut and it took every ounce of his composure to remain seated with a straight face. Sasuke refused to look into the depths of Itachi's eyes, knowing full well that that would give his older brother the answer that he wanted.

"Sasuke."

"Stop asking. It's my personal business," he retorted before slamming his glass down on the table. Not only was he annoyed and on edge lately, but now his brother was butting in and getting involved in something that he shouldn't.

Itachi leaned back in his seat before crossing his arms over his chest. He kept his eyes on Sasuke while his brows furrowed.

"You don't have to take everything head on by yourself, you know?"

"It's funny that you're advising me of that," Sasuke retorted before looking away.

They both sat across from one another, tension thick and silence looming over them as their waiter strolled back to them.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" He asked with a cheery smile.

Both of them responded with a firm "no" before asking for their bill and leaving. Sasuke felt the hole in his chest growing larger with each breath of air that he took.

He was tired; tired of losing people, tired of fighting with people, tired of lying to himself. Once they exited the diner, Itachi sighed as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket. Sasuke scowled, eyes set on the stick as he held it between his lips.

"I thought you quit."

A quick laugh sounded from the older of the two before he lit the end, inhaling almost immediately before holding it in.

"I thought I did too," he breathed out.

Sasuke rolled his eyes before growling. It was the last thing he wanted Itachi doing, considering the condition that their parents were in— he didn't want to lose Itachi to some sort of lung cancer.

"I'm going back to the hospital," Sasuke snapped before walking back towards his car.

Itachi merely stood in the same place, sucking on the end of his cigarette before rolling it between his fingers. He followed his brother, hair swaying against his shoulder blades until they got to the slick black vehicle.

"You're not bringing that inside," Sasuke warned with a glare.

"I'm not going with you," Itachi retorted, to which Sasuke raised a brow. Goosebumps struck his skin, making the hairs on his neck stand.

"Why?"

"Because I have some work to take care of, Sasuke."

It struck a nerve inside of Sasuke when his name rolled off of Itachi's tongue. It reminded him of when they were younger and his brother was too busy for him. The way he would speak Sasuke's name was always coated with annoyance, irritated with the fact that his younger sibling wanted to spend time with him but now Itachi was reverting back to wanting to be left alone.

"Right," Sasuke hissed. "'Cause you're always super fucking busy."

"That's not what I meant."

Sasuke rolled his eyes before getting in the car and slamming the door. Itachi tapped the glass, indicating for him to roll his window down and when he did, that's when Itachi stomped out the butt of his cigarette.

"I'll stop by after I finish some work."

It calmed some of his nerves, calmed the storm inside of his mind because he could hear the promise in his brother's tone. Instead of answering, Sasuke merely nodded before rolling the window up and taking off from the parking lot.

He didn't go back to the hospital like he intended to. Instead, he found himself back at his condo, phone in hand as he dialed the number that Orochimaru had emailed him.

It was now Saturday night, his home was dark and empty and as the phone dialed in his ear he felt his skin crawl when somebody finally picked up.

 _"Hello?"_

"May I speak to Orochimaru?"

 _"This is him. Can I help you?"_

"It's Sasuke Uchiha."

There was a short pause before a soft wheeze filtered through the phone.

 _"I was expecting your call."_


	33. thirty three

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 33**

* * *

It had been a week since Sakura last heard from Sasuke.

Although it felt like longer, it was driving her up the wall waiting to hear from him. In that time, she kept her phone on her person and the volume turned all the way up in case he came back from the shadows and reached out to her. Although a part of her felt rather livid and worked up, the other felt completely lost and turned around; she never thought he would act out this way nor fall completely off the face of the Earth like he had.

The one thing that really bothered her and nipped at her emotions, was that he didn't have the decency to at least call her and let her know what was going on.

She discarded her thoughts the moment the bell rang and her classmates began to flood through the entryway; blue pools landed on her, making her squirm in her seat as she waited for the blond to take his seat next to her.

"Hey," Naruto greeted with furrowed brows. His lips were pulled into a taut line as he studied her face and it took everything to muster up a small and welcoming smile.

"Good morning."

"We were looking for you."

Sakura trapped her hair between her fingers and ran them through the silk pieces, pulling any tangles and knots from the pastel tresses before she looked away.

"I was just taking a moment to think."

She knew Naruto would pick up on the crack in her voice, knowing full well that he may be dull in some areas but he was entirely in tune with the emotions of others. Luckily for Sakura though, he wasn't going to say anything today. Instead, she noticed his large hand on her desk, palm down and fingers splayed out and that's when she met his eyes with her own.

"You can always come over to my place to get away from everything, you know?"

She offered a sincere and kind smile, knowing full well that she hadn't spent time with Naruto in months but he was still playing the supportive best friend role. She placed her hand down on top of his and nodded, promising herself that maybe they could attend the Spring Festival in Old Konoha that upcoming weekend.

"Alright, take your seats."

The new voice broke up any and all loitering students but it also confused the entire classroom. The person standing at the front of the room was anyone but Sasuke and that was like a blow to the gut for Sakura.

Instead of letting her feelings overwhelm her and cause her to feel sick, she found their principal taking note of everyone in the room. He didn't open the roll call program like Sasuke usually did, but instead scanned the room before taking a seat on the corner of the desk and let a slow sigh seep through his concealed face.

"Uchiha-sensei will no longer be teaching at this school, nor will he be your homeroom teacher. We're working on finding a replacement, but for the time being, I'll be stepping in."

A low groan echoed throughout the classroom which resulted in the older man to smile sheepishly. He looked way too relaxed for this role, but Sakura continued to watch his movements from her seat. It didn't feel real knowing that Sasuke wasn't going to return and as much as she wanted to ask _why_ , she kept her mouth shut and her eyes forward.

A hand to her left shot up but before she could get called on, Karin was already asking her question. "Where is Uchiha-sensei?"

Kakashi rubbed at his chin with his fingers and closed his only revealed eye, humming softly while he mulled over the answer. The suspense was making Sakura feel weak; she couldn't confine the drumming of her heart in her chest and if she waited any longer, she was sure her classmates would start to hear it.

"He's working somewhere else now."

"But _why?_ " Naruto belted out, clearly not understanding how their teacher could up and leave when they were so close to graduating.

Sakura could feel her heart rate increasing with each passing second and it made her fingers curl into the hem of her skirt. She felt sick to her stomach as her thoughts began to drown out all of her senses. When she looked up, she caught Kakashi's single eye on her and that made her entire being tense up.

Did he get fired because of _her_? Did somebody find out about them and ask him to move away? Was it because she continued to pursue him and ask for more?

She felt like she was going to vomit at any second.

"Personal reasons," he replied before standing from the desk and straightening his shirt. "Moving on now, we have a lesson to cover."

For the remainder of the period, Sakura couldn't focus on a word that was said nor did she write any notes. Her mind was lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, making her feel sick as she questioned why he wasn't there. If it was for personal reasons, surely he would've said something? Then again, what if he had been arrested and they had yet to question her about the behavior that was going on behind closed doors?

Why, why, _why?_

"Sakura!"

She blinked, allowing her mind to return to the present as she stared into a pair of fiery eyes. They were wide with concern while worry painted the features on her pale face. Beside Karin stood Naruto, mirroring the other Uzumaki's expression and it caused her to feel dumbfounded that she had been so lost and engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice the empty room or her friends standing next to her.

"I need to go home," she muttered under her breath before grabbing her bag and fleeing the room.

Once she escaped to the commons, it was a mad dash outside and from there, she allowed her legs to carry her far away from the school grounds. It felt unreal that Sasuke had vanished just like that and hadn't said a single thing.

She didn't even bother to look back to see if anyone had followed her. She wanted to get away from all of it and spend time alone, away from other people so she could be alone with her thoughts and try to mull over the different scenarios as to what could've happened to Sasuke; instead of heading to her house, she did what she thought was logical and sought out his home.

Maybe he would be there this time.

 _Maybe._

 **. . .**

"Back again?"

Sakura had been leaning against his door for hours now, hoping the ringing of the elevator would pull her out of her trance and she'd see his handsome features one more time. Instead, she found his neighbor leaving her place and slowly shuffling towards the elevator.

"Yeah," Sakura mumbled from behind her arm but she didn't spare the woman a glance. She only pulled her knees closer to her chest and held herself, trying to keep the pieces from falling apart all over again.

When she thought the woman was going to keep walking by, she felt her presence right beside her and that's when she looked up and found her kind eyes staring down at her. She wasn't sure what to say or what to do, but instead of remaining seated on the floor, she slowly pulled herself up until she was standing in front of the woman.

She was much shorter than Sakura but she wore a soft smile that accompanied her kind, auburn eyes. The wrinkles on her face told the pinkette that she lived many happy years, considering they were formed from laughter and smiling; what Sakura wasn't expecting was for this woman to reach out and take her hand in her own.

"He comes back every few days."

Sakura choked on her words, trying to form some type of coherent sentence but she wasn't expecting this from his neighbor. She only looked at her with vivid, wide eyes until the lady let go of her hand and gave her a softer look.

"His family was in a very bad accident."

"All of them?" Sakura blurted out. Her heart was racing in her chest trying to comprehend what kind of pain he was currently undergoing and the fact that he had disappeared from thin air watered the seed of worry that had been planted in her stomach last week.

"His mother and father." She stated softly before shaking her head. "He doesn't want you to worry, you know? But young people can be so stubborn and stuck in their ways that they don't realize their actions hurt those that care about them. I know you love that young man."

She swallowed back her emotions, fearing that if she showed any sign of weakness that everything would come out and that was the last thing she wanted. Instead, she averted her gaze towards the little dog behind the woman that stared up at her.

"I'm so worried," she confessed. "I want to help but at the same time, he's pulled away from me and I'm not sure _how_ to help."

It took her a minute before she realized she was talking to his neighbor of all people about Sasuke and her dilemma but before she could apologize, she felt the woman's hand on her cheek; a reassuring smile pulled at her lips and that alone anchored Sakura's heart down, calming her heaving body and tattered emotions.

"Love is love," she said softly, as though she understood what exactly they had been going through over the course of the last few months. "Whether he comes back soon or it takes him months, you two will figure it out."

Sakura nodded, a smile appearing on her own face.

"In the meantime, focus on yourself and your own happiness. You're a lovely young lady; you're bright and radiate positivity. Don't let that go to waste."

With that, Sakura was left to chew on the words from his neighbor. Not only did she feel some sort of relief run through her body, but she also felt a surge of panic remaining in the back of her head.

If his parents had gotten into a terrible accident, then he would've said something before leaving. It wasn't like Sasuke to leave her in the dark like that, considering the amount of time they had been spending together prior to being pulled from the middle of class, leaving his students to wonder when he'd return.

Instead of sticking around, she grabbed what belongings she had and slowly made her way home. If Sasuke needed her, he knew where to find her and how to get ahold of her. On the other hand, she continued to fight with her inner thoughts on trying to get ahold of him.

The struggle of fighting both her heart and mind on the matter felt like it was tearing her into two, taking all of the strength she had to keep herself together during the day and fighting to glue back all the pieces together for the next day.

It was a vicious cycle but in her heart, she knew she would manage. She had supportive friends and uplifting parents—Sasuke would turn up sooner or later.

And if he didn't… she had the rest of her life to look forward to.

 **. . .**

"I don't know about you guys, but these final exams are _killing_ me!"

Karin scoffed at Naruto before rolling her eyes. "Of course you're struggling with them because you don't pay attention in class and you finish _maybe_ half of the work you're given. It's pretty easy if you just pay attention, you numbskull."

"Hey!"

"Enough you two," Sakura rubbed her head before glaring at both of them. "It's hard to study with the bickering."

Naruto waved his apology while Karin leaned back in her seat. "Sorry, Pinky. I feel our teachers' frustration when it comes to dealing with Naruto in class now."

Naruto shot her another look before Sakura heaved a low sigh, pulling their attention away from each other and back on her. The rest of the week had been rather rough, as she still waited for some sort of response from Sasuke but she still hadn't heard from him.

As bothersome as it was, it allowed her enough time to focus (somewhat) on school and finish applying for her chosen college. Not only that, but she began to spend more time with Karin, Ino and Naruto as well as spend more nights with her parents.

It was hard to keep Sasuke off of her mind but with all the activity she was preoccupied with, it numbed the pain and calmed her mind. Nights were the hardest for her, as she lay in bed and wondered what he was up to and where he was.

The hardest night was after she returned home from visiting Sasuke's place. After learning about his family, she decided to scroll through the news and find information on the accident. What she found made her heart nearly stop beating as she read the article word for word.

She couldn't imagine the pain he was probably experiencing, but then she thought of Itachi and the possibility that he was with him day and night while they waited to hear news on their parents. It clawed at Sakura's chest that she couldn't be there for him, but it also racked her brain that he wouldn't reach out to her.

That was the last night she decided to look into that sort of stuff; she left him a single message on his phone, mostly taking Ino's advice and making it a voicemail. If he heard her voice, maybe it would trigger something in him and make him talk to her.

"You're doing it again, Naruto!" Karin's shout of frustration brought Sakura back to reality and she narrowed her eyes at them once more being shaking her head and letting a small laugh erupt from her chest.

They both glanced at her then, confusion adorning their faces before they too started laughing.

"It's been awhile since I've heard you laugh like that!" Naruto grinned before pulling her under his arm and squeezing her tight. Sakura merely hugged around his single arm, allowing her head to nuzzle into his shoulder before releasing him and agreeing.

"We're all going to the festival tomorrow, right?" She wanted to confirm and to her surprise, they both nodded in agreement.

"Ino will be with Sai, so it'll just be the three of us," Karin commented and Sakura nodded.

Apparently their relationship had been excelling and while Sakura was proud of Ino for pushing for an actual relationship with the guy, it also made her feel uneasy knowing that her best friend would be splitting up her time between her friends and another guy—then again, what had Sakura done to them the past few months? She shook the thought from her head before she closed her book and tossed it in her bag.

"I'll see you guys at my house tomorrow and my dad will give us a ride?" She asked before leaving but she didn't need to wait for their response. She knew that they would be there, ready to attend a small yet fun gathering.

 **. . .**

"There's so much food!" Naruto's eyes scanned all the different stalls, that ear to ear grin stretching across his face as he ran ahead of Sakura and Karin, asking for samples from anyone and everyone. By the time he returned, he had remnants of food on face while he scarfed down whatever he got from the most recent stand.

Meanwhile, Sakura found herself in awe over all the different decorations and lights that hung overhead as well as the different games and activities going on all around them; the last time she came to this festival, she was a lot younger and holding onto her father's hand. Now that she was old enough to roam and see things herself, she came to appreciate the festival a lot more.

"I want to win something for each of you!" Naruto shouted before taking off down the road but he didn't let the girls hang back this time. Instead, he grabbed both Sakura and Karin by their hands and towed them behind him, pulling them through the crowd until they reached a stall that looked interesting.

To their surprise, Naruto thought he would be good at it and it turned out that he was. It was nothing more than a test of strength, to see if he could swing the oversized hammer down and strike the switch and ring the bell. Sakura watched the first time, seeing him fail completely before whining and then giving it another go.

It made her smile to see him having fun, but while she wanted to watch him, something else tugged at her mind.

"I'll be right back, I'm going to grab something to eat," she muttered to Karin before wandering into the crowd and blending with the many different people there.

She noticed how the sky was slowly blending to shades of purples and blues as the sun set behind the mountains, painting the horizon in twilight while the stars began to peak out. It was a beautiful scenery, that being with the decorations from the festival and Old Konoha reflecting the last slivers of sunlight in all the different building windows; it was something she never wanted to forget and as she took a mental picture, her eyes landed on a familiar face.

Her heart instantly jumped in her chest, making her stomach crawl to her throat as he made eye contact with her. It was the same shade of obsidian that she had grown to love, but the face shape was entirely too different from what she had engraved in her mind.

Itachi stood only a couple of feet away from her, staring at her with a shattered look in his eyes before a soft, sad smile pulled at the corner of his lips. He was equally as attractive as Sasuke, only he wasn't Sasuke—she felt her heart slowly beat in her ears, ringing throughout her body before she realized that she was staring.

"Sakura," he greeted before taking a step or two closer to her. It took everything in her body to resist the urge to turn around and run away, but something kept her rooted to the ground.

"Hi." She muttered, trying to make her voice sound stronger than what it actually was but to no avail.

When he finally stood next to her, she found it entirely too hard to look him in the eyes as he loomed over her; she never realized how tall he was, but now that they stood side by side, she had to tilt her head back and actually look up at him.

Like Sasuke, he held a serious look in his dark eyes but there was also a softness that resided within his irises that she picked up on almost immediately. Sadness mixed with the darkness there as well and she felt her heart slowly beat, each time sent a jolt of pain through her chest before she broke her gaze.

"You don't have to act so awkward around me," he remarked and it made her tense up even more.

She never thought she would run into Itachi in a place like this, considering how cleaned up and serious he came off as. Then again, maybe he was here with someone else, but that thought didn't occur to her. Instead, she swallowed back all the overwhelming emotions that sat in the back of her throat, making it hard to breathe or focus.

They were surrounded by so many people and it didn't help that the music playing over the speakers seemed to grow louder with each passing second; Sakura was finding it harder to breathe with each beat of her heart and just when she felt like she was going to pass out, she felt his palm press down on her shoulder and slowly steer her away from the busy street.

Once he pulled her off to the side away from all the loitering and wandering people and music, she took a deep enough breath to restore the air in her lungs. When she glanced up at him, he wore the same smile, both sad and soft yet reassuring and she wasn't sure if it was the way his eyes settled on her or the calm demeanor about him, but she felt her body start to relax.

"He's okay if you're wondering."

Another jolt of pain burst through her chest, reminding her that her heart was still beating rapidly but she continued to listen.

"Not that he's in the best mental state, but he's doing his best," Itachi continued. "He hasn't talked to you at all though, has he?"

"No," she muttered softly. The sky overhead was now black but the lights from all around kept the area relatively light but that didn't stop the overwhelming feeling of anxiety to crawl over her shoulders. The sigh that came from Itachi though nearly made her flinch.

He didn't say anything else after that, only let his back come to rest against the building behind them. The silence that fell over them was a gentle reminder of how comfortable she felt in Sasuke's presence. Although different, she didn't feel like Itachi's dark eyes on her were dangerous by any means but more so watchful as he observed her.

"We're working on things," his deep voice cut through both the silence and her thoughts and it left her wanting to ask exactly what things, but she had a hunch. She opted to nod her head before taking a step away from him and back towards the music and crowds.

"I've got to get back to my friends now," she said softly as she turned around to glance at him. There wasn't anything else to say to Itachi, not while her mind continued to race with thoughts or how her chest would pulse with pain each time she thought about Sasuke.

He didn't say anything to keep her from leaving, only waved his goodbye before walking in the opposite direction until she heard his phone ring. He answered it the same way Sasuke did, looking all gruff and unimpressed but the moment he started speaking to whoever, his expression softened and he glanced back at her. It caused her heart to stutter before a soft squeak slipped through her thin lips and she turned on her heel, heading in the direction of Karin and Naruto.

She knew they would be wondering where she went.

 **x x x**

"What do you _mean_ you're with Sakura?" He hissed into the phone, jealousy laced into his tone as he gritted his teeth together.

Sasuke knew he had been ignoring Sakura, clearly trying to stay away from her but it was beginning to be too much for him. Now that Itachi was lurking around her… it pissed Sasuke off. He hated the fact that he was even near Sakura, considering Sasuke hadn't seen her in close to two weeks; he began to pace around the open space, waiting for Itachi to answer but the muffled music and chuckle on the other end made the hairs on his neck rise.

 _"Itachi."_ He growled out before his brother finally answered him.

 _"I ran into her,"_ he answered cooly and it still irritated him to know that he had been near Sakura and Sasuke hadn't been.

The push and pull inside of his head caused him to scratch at the back of his neck, an irritating habit he picked up from Naruto and he still questioned why he did it; regardless, as much as he wanted to see Sakura, he couldn't.

With Orochimaru on his case, he didn't want to ruin Sakura's chance at a normal life or her reputation. He didn't want college to hang the fact that she was in a relationship with her teacher over her head, or the repercussions of being with an adult to come back and bite at any future she had.

She was bright, smart, talented—Sasuke didn't want to ruin any of that for her and until things blew over or until he could figure out his next move, he needed to stay away. Not only did he feel his heart slowly break with each passing day, but he also became familiar and acquainted with paranoia.

It was an unwelcome feeling, something he loathed to high hell and back but he didn't want to risk Sakura's future for his stupid mistake.

" _We'll figure it out, Sasuke."_

"When?" He asked, his words short and curt as he waited for Itachi to answer.

 _"Shisui is working on it—"_

He felt his mind space out before panic surged through his veins. "Why?"

 _"Don't worry about that. For now, focus on what you're doing. How were mom and dad?"_

He chewed on his lip, not liking where this was going one bit. "They're doing better. Mom is acting cheerful ever since waking up and dad is you know, being dad."

Itachi laughed on the other end and Sasuke could only roll his eyes. Of course he was happy to see that their parents were recovering, but they still had a long road ahead of them.

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose until he got to his car and opened the door. "I'm going to head home now. Wherever you're at, keep an eye on Sakura until you know she's leaving or something but stay the hell away from her."

He could already envision the smug look on Itachi's face before he replied and as much as Sasuke wanted to drive to wherever his brother was at, he refrained from doing so by gripping the steering wheel as tightly as he could.

 _"She's with her friends now. She's fine."_ He replied but before Sasuke could hang up, Itachi's voice started back up. _"If you're that concerned, you should really just call her or something."_

He rolled his dark eyes before hanging up and let the phone fall to his lap. It was painful to breathe once he looked over into his passenger seat.

 _Empty._

That was her seat; from the first time she sat in it, until the last time. Even now, it was still hers and everything he owned, he considered it hers—from the passenger seat to his very own heart.

He loved Sakura and he wasn't going to let someone come between them. It would take time, but he wasn't willing to quit or give up on being with her. He felt complete with her in his life and he didn't want to lose her—not now, not ever.

* * *

owo

hello there! long time, no update lol.

first of all, i just wanna give my friends such a huge shout out for constantly pushing me to do my best and being so uplifting and supportive. tyy for always being here for me, even when i ghosted tf out of everyone and day for constantly feeding me sasusaku goodness and for pulling me back into the fandom (not once but probably about six times now). you two are a major reason as to why i'm still enjoying sssk and why i've finally gotten off of my ass to write again sdlfkjsf.

secondly! this update has been so emotional for me. i haven't written anything in forever aside from zine pieces or a small one-shot here and there, but to continue this after nearly a year hiatus, i'm just really happy. so i hope you guys enjoy this because i'm honestly doing my best and working my butt off to get consistent updates going as well as getting around to finishing this. so a huge thank you to everyone that's still following this story and to anyone who's recommended this and for all the likes/reviews/favorites. JUST I REALLY LOVE ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

so i hope you enjoyed cause i'm gonna get this fic moving again!


	34. thirty four

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 34**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

Brooding, angry, overthinking.

It didn't matter how many days passed, he always found himself thinking of pastel hair and soft green eyes. She was gentle and warm, welcoming and comforting—his safe haven in a whirlwind of heavy thoughts and without her around, he couldn't shoulder the downpour of life.

It felt entirely unreal that he had avoided her calls, her texts, even avoided seeing her in town from time to time and if he wasn't sure what pain was before, he certainly knew what it was like now. In his heart of hearts, Sasuke knew that it would hurt more to see her now than it would be not to see her day after day.

"You're scowling again."

His dark pools looked up to find his mother's face—beauty hiding under the dark bruises and multiple cuts, but he offered a sad smile as he took her hand in his. The days he spent at the hospital ate away at the clustered mess in his mind, distracting him as he tried not to think about Sakura and as much as he wanted to believe that it helped, it allowed him more time to sit and think when he visited his parents.

Hell, even the night he talked to Itachi on the phone pissed him off and it took every ounce of composure in his body not to pull the voicemail from Sakura and listen to it. He knew if he listened and heard her voice, he'd be calling her back and going to her.

The thought of pulling her onto his lap and pressing his lips to hers while his hands held her in place, fearing the thought of letting her go and never seeing her again—it was painful to think about and he _knew_ that if he did go see her, he'd never let her leave his sight again.

"Thinking," he muttered to which his mother frowned at him.

He knew better than to lie to her. She was a smart woman, one who knew her son better than she knew herself and if he thought for a second that he could get away with saying a single word like that, then he was so very wrong. He opted to sit back in his chair, thinking of exactly what he would say when it came down to the time that he would have this conversation with his mother.

"Sakura," he clicked his tongue and Mikoto's facial features perked up slightly. He felt disappointment bubbling underneath his skin, scared of what his mother was going to think once she knew the truth. "She was one of my students."

Once the words left his lips, he dropped his gaze from his mother's eyes and waited for her to say something. Seconds ticked by, followed by minutes and Sasuke could feel the ghost-like hands closing around his throat. The air felt thinner, making him lightheaded as he waited but what happened next wasn't what he was expecting.

Instead, his mother squeezed his hand gently, being careful not to pull any wires from her hand or upset the steady beep of the machines around her. His eyes found her fingers curled around his own hand, small and petite but holding him firmly and that's when he found the courage to look up and meet her gaze.

Worry resided there, but also a familiar comfort that only a mother could carry. Mikoto offered a smile then, searching her child for more answers but when she concluded that that was all, she exhaled through her thin lips.

"I had a feeling, Sasuke."

Her voice was calm, only a slight edge to it but it wasn't what he thought it was going to be like. He thought his mother would grow angry with him, look away and refuse to make eye contact with him ever again but what he found in her dark irises was somewhat reassuring.

"I'm not saying it's right by any means," she continued and it made him choke up. "But it's obvious you have a lot of feelings for her."

Sasuke felt tension pushing down on his chest then as his mother continued to hold around his hand. It wasn't easy admitting that he had feelings for one of his students, but it also wasn't easy denying the nipping feeling of what love for another person surely felt like.

Of course, he loved his family but to love and care for someone outside of that? It was a learning curve in his life, alluring and inviting when it came to Sakura and the longer he spent away from her, the more he craved to see her and be around her. He clenched his teeth and held back his emotions when his mother gave him another soft squeeze.

"So tell me why you're scowling," she offered another soft smile and all he could do was huff out his frustrations. There was so much he wanted to say, so much that he was thinking of that he wanted to spill but to word all of it and hear it aloud—he opted for the things that weighed down on his mind the most.

"I opted to take another job."

"I recall hearing something from Itachi, but continue."

"I don't want to work there," he nearly wheezed out. "I was comfortable in Konoha; although risky, I was happy and actually liked teaching there. But after months went by, I felt like teaching wasn't my calling in life anymore."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow at him, urging him to continue.

"I don't know what I want to do—" his words cut off as he choked back whatever emotions tried squeezing through the built up walls. He didn't want to break down in front of his mother while she was hooked up to machines, bruises and cuts adorning her angelic face while worry sparkled in her dark pools. "I just want all of this to stop."

"Sasuke," Mikoto started with her motherly voice. She gave him a small tug, inviting him to come closer and once he inched his chair to her bed, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder, allowing him to rest his head against her side. He was careful not to lean too much weight on her but the steady rhythm of her heartbeat was soothing—reminding him of his childhood days.

"What are you doing for your other job?"

"Working at a different school in Oto."

He felt the difference in her heart beat, speeding up slightly and the way she tensed under him told him something else. He moved slightly, finding her face looking down at him before she exhaled slowly.

"Have you started yet?" She asked, her tone flat and voice low.

"No—" he thought about his interview with Orochimaru and how his gold eyes absorbed every moment Sasuke took. He recalled feeling entirely too uncomfortable in his presence, knowing that this man had the knowledge of Sasuke's forbidden relationship and he could tear both the Uchiha and Sakura into pieces if he wanted to.

The mere thought made him scowl once more.

"I'm not starting until next year," he continued. More words sat on the edge of his tongue but he was already struggling with saying the things he'd already said. "I don't want to be there, but I don't want anything bad happening to Sakura."

She moved once more under his weight, this time pulling away from him and placing her fingers on his chin and prompting him to look at her. Not only did worry float around in her onyx eyes, but it pulled at the corners of her lips and made her brows furrow.

He knew he had explaining to do—she never held his face like this or made him look at her. He could see something close to rage bleeding in her dark irises and he wasn't sure if it was directed at him or Sakura, but he was starting to feel uneasy.

"Sasuke," Mikoto stared intently at her son. "What do you mean?"

"The man that wanted me to transfer to Oto knows about my relationship with Sakura."

Silence and tension pushed down on his chest then as his mother's face mirrored something shattered and broken. Her lips parted slightly before she looked away, racking her brain for any sort of answer that she could find but when she looked back, her expression was nearly blank.

"Are you still with Sakura?"

Her question rung like a bell throughout his mind, rattling his skull and making his entire body shiver as he thought about it. It would've been one thing to answer truthfully, but Sasuke knew that he never gave Sakura an answer—not even an explanation as to where he went.

He looked away at that moment because if Mikoto found out, she would _not_ be pleased.

 _"Sasuke."_

His dark eyes looked at anything but at her; he didn't even want to spare her a glance. How could he when his heart was acting up inside of his chest, drumming rapidly against his ribcage, threatening to crush his entire being as he thought about soft shades of pink and green crumpling and vanishing—it was all his fault.

"I don't know."

He looked back at his mother now, her eyes a shade darker as she tried to process exactly what was going on in her son's life. Not only was he risking being sent to jail, but he was toying with someone else's emotions. Surely Mikoto's mind was in overdrive trying to think of what to say and when she did settle on what to say, his body decided to tense up while his heart skipped a beat.

"You need to tell that girl what's going on."

Mikoto hadn't looked disappointed throughout their entire conversation but when she looked away, he could see the frustration lining her features. He felt his heart crawling to his throat, making it hard to breathe because he absolutely _hated_ knowing that he upset his mother.

Sasuke pulled away and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as though to cover and defend himself from a world that was against him. He clicked his tongue, thinking of how he would even get in contact with Sakura because calling her would surely cause her to breakdown but then again, he wanted to see her more than anything.

"Itachi knows?" Her voice filled the quiet space between them but Sasuke couldn't make his voice loud enough. He opted to nod his head and Mikoto sighed.

"We'll get it figured out." She tried to reassure him but he could see how tired her eyes looked and the way her voice sounded was filled with fatigue.

"Try and get some rest," Sasue advised before sitting up in his chair and standing. His legs felt shaky from underneath his weight and it felt as though his knees were silently promising to give out if he took a step.

He placed his hand on his mother's shoulder, trying to muster up enough nerve to smile but he could only look at her with broken eyes and a shattered demeanor. When she placed her hand on top of his, he found a silent comfort in the way she radiated warmth—it reminded him of Sakura.

"I'll talk to her," he said quietly before his quiet footfalls led him to the door. "I just don't know how."

"Let your heart guide you."

With that, he left his mother and the hospital for the night and stalked towards his car. The night air was warm and anything but welcoming; it was humid and uncomfortable, holding around him as his chest tightened the closer he got to his car. Once he opened the door and slipped inside, he pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly scrolled to the voicemail left by Sakura.

Upon hearing her voice, he could hardly control his breathing, let alone the tears that pricked at the backs of his eyes. It stung, scratched and clawed at the inside of his chest when he heard just how broken and torn apart her own voice was and by the time the audio ended, he nearly crushed his phone in his hand.

 _"Hey… I know I've left you texts and I tried to call, but you never picked up. I'm sorry about what happened to your parents and I hope they're having a safe recovery. Just know that when you decide to talk to me, I'll be here. Goodnight."_

 **. . .**

He didn't remember the drive there; he didn't remember the city lights, the street names, turning on his blinker or putting his car in park. One thing that he was aware of though, was that he was parked on the street that Sakura lived on and he couldn't feel his heart pulsating in his chest.

He couldn't feel his fingers, he couldn't feel his lips, he could hardly comprehend the thoughts in his mind as he pushed the door open and stepped out of the car.

The night welcomed him, encasing him in a shroud of clarity as he stepped up on the sidewalk and began his walk towards her. He knew she was still awake, knew she would come to him when he got there but what he wasn't expecting was to see her sitting on the concrete steps outside of her house.

It caused his heart to jump to his throat and his body to weigh down like an anchor pulling him into the concrete beneath his feet. Sasuke felt like he was sinking, leaving this world and going to another as he stared at her figure bundled up alone—she was even wearing his sweatshirt, the hoodie pulled over her head as she hugged her arms around her, her eyes clearly focused on the ground to her side.

He was careful not to make a sound, let alone struggle with taking a simple step towards her. One thing he wanted to do was draw her attention towards him, make it clear that he was here in person, here to see her; one thing he wasn't ready to do was watch her break down and see the tears stream down her cheeks.

 _Let your heart guide you_ , he reminded himself of his mother's words and with that, he inhaled deeply and continued towards her.

When he realized that it was far too dark for her to notice him, he also realized that it was almost midnight and he grew irritated with the fact that she was sitting outside by herself. He clenched his hands at his sides for a brief second, breathing out his annoyance and then letting his dark eyes settle on her once more.

From where he stood, she looked utterly beautiful in the dark that surrounded her. Granted she had the porch light on, it was still dark enough to wash out the bright and vivid features that he loved most about her.

"Sasuke?"

His heart came to a complete stop in his chest, allowing his eyes to grow wide and his lips to part. Hearing his name in her voice sent his mind soaring yet his stomach sunk lower in his body, weighing him down and nearly pulling him in two. His tongue ran over his bottom lip before he blinked, clearing his vision to find that Sakura was looking at him.

 _"Sasuke?"_

She called out to him once more and although it was quiet, he could hear her voice break and it completely shattered what was left of his heart within the confines of his chest. From the moment she threw herself off of the stairs and she started dashing towards him, he could see the faint light reflecting off of the tears that fell from her face.

By the time she ran into him, he had his arms around her, holding her close, squeezing and puller her into him as tightly as he could, for fear that if he let her go, she would be gone forever; evaporating into the air like steam, leaving him to watch her fade completely. He pushed his face into the crown of her head, inhaling the familiar and calming scent that he had grown to love yet couldn't get enough of.

They stood like that, falling over one another as they pushed and pulled, holding onto each other while her tears soaked into the threads of his shirt. He could feel her heaving in his arms, trying to catch her breath between each sob and when he finally pulled away to hold her face in her hands, all he could see was a mirror of himself—she was torn, broken to pieces and falling apart no matter how hard she tried to pull herself together.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered but Sasuke couldn't stand to hear it. She had nothing to be sorry for, nothing to apologize for at all because she hadn't done a single thing to him.

It was him, all him.

He was the one that left, he was the one that ignored her day in and day out—avoiding her at any cost because he couldn't deal with the agony that came with having to see her. But in that moment, he couldn't look away.

Sakura was too beautiful, too radiant and bright, vivid and happiness all in one person and he didn't fucking want to lose any of that. Instead of telling her _hush_ or to _shut up_ , he pulled her mouth to his and tasted what he had been starved of for weeks.

She melted at his touch, finding his hair with her fingers before yanking softly and he could feel a moan escaping his throat before it hummed against her lips. It didn't even take him a second to find her tongue with his own—familiarity surrounding him as he lapped up what was his. Sakura was always sweet, making him yearn for more and when he pulled her closer, he felt a small gasp escape from her lips.

When he pulled away, he quickly leaned his head against hers and balanced his arms around her shoulders, his fingers threading into her long, rose quartz locks. He could hear her shaky breaths, feel them fanning across his neck as she inhaled and exhaled at such a fast rate, he feared that she would ultimately start to hyperventilate.

"Breathe," he whispered and he could hear another soft whimper escape her thin lips.

When he felt her calm down slightly, he adjusted his body to press a soft kiss to her nose. Sakura swallowed, clearly trying to get ahold of her thoughts before her hands twisted into the cotton shirt on his body.

The things that he wanted to say wouldn't come out. No matter how hard he tried, they continued to sit on the tip of his tongue, begging to fall through his chapped and parted lips but he could only focus on Sakura; she felt cold in his arms, smaller and not entirely how he remembered but she was here and the amount of emotions she portrayed made his own heart betray him.

How could he put her through something like that and expect her to be okay?

"I'm sorry for everything," he muttered against her forehead before pressing another kiss there, only this time he held his lips against her skin. "I didn't mean for this to hurt you."

"It's okay," she tried to reassure him but when her voice cracked it made his heart skip a beat. "As long as you're okay…"

It angered him to see her like this; it was one thing to see her cry and fall apart before him, but to excuse his actions and try to say that it was okay? He pulled away from her and looked down at her. Onyx met jade, broken rivaling brooding and as much as he wanted to kiss her again, he held himself back.

He still needed to talk to her, tell her what was going on but the soft plea that crossed over her face made his heart flutter.

"Come inside."

His breath hitched in his throat while his ears grew hot. Sasuke flicked his gaze towards the house behind her, finding her room almost immediately since it was the only room illuminated by a light. When he looked back down at her, it was almost impossible to resist the small puff of her lip caught between her teeth.

The things this girl did to him unintentionally…

"Your parents are home."

"I don't care."

He paused before swallowing, trying to rid the dry sensation in his throat as he looked at her house once more. He knew that if they were alone, he would want every part of Sakura, but here—

"Please."

Her voice came out entirely too soft, pleading and begging him and just when he almost told her no, he pressed one more kiss to her lips and let her take his hand before pulling him to the door. He intertwined his fingers with hers, holding on as tightly as he could and when she opened the door, he closed his eyes.

He didn't want to lose her.

Ever.

* * *

can i just say that writing this chapter was actually a lot of fun and i prefer writing sasuke over sakura? i have nothing against sakura, i love her very much but i feel like diving into sasuke's thoughts and writing his emotions is a lot more fun and plus all the angsty things i'm capable of... fufufu.

anyway, i hope you guys liked seeing a little bit of mikoto and sasuke interaction as well as sasuke and sakura meeting up again~ i post updates and sneak peaks to my twitter/tumblr accounts at **roraewrites** if you guys wanna follow and see stuff before i post updates! as always, thanks for the support and i seriously can't express how thankful i am for all of the love and welcome back messages. i am SUPER excited to be writing this again and making progress. you guys rock~


	35. thirty five

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters._

* * *

 **Chapter 35**  
 _Sasuke's Part_

* * *

With her hand in his hand, he followed along behind her, taking in their surroundings as she led him to the stairs. He caught her glance back him, their eyes connecting before she pulled him behind her, quickly and quietly until they reached the top of the stairs and she pulled her into the confines of her room.

Once inside, he felt the pressure in his chest begin to fade and all he could see was her face. She looked a lot different in the light, his eyes honing in on the redness around her own eyes and how puffy they were. Her cheeks were painted with a single line of running mascara on each side, and then finally her chewed and chapped lips.

He frowned then, completely pissed with himself for putting Sakura through so much heartbreak in the last couple of weeks.

Finally, Sakura moved to her bed and sat down, her hand patting the open space next to her and it made his heart lunge in his chest. He wanted to be close to her, pull her to his chest and kiss her until sunrise but he knew that if he did that, more than just kissing would happen.

It would be disrespectful to do that in her own house.

He opted to move closer to her, but instead of taking a seat next to her, he sat on the floor, his back coming to rest between her legs and against the bed itself. From there, his fingers found the smooth skin of her leg and he gently ran them down her shin before crawling back up to her knee—he repeated this until he felt her fingers intertwine with his hair, massaging his scalp and just like that, all of his anxieties and worries were completely decimated.

He felt at ease, found again in a world that was against him. She was his light in the darkness, reaching out to pull him from the gripping hands of his own twisted mind.

"I'm sorry," he muttered softly, careful to keep his voice low.

Sakura hummed softly, her fingers still playing with his raven colored hair.

"I didn't want you getting pulled into the mess."

She stopped for a moment and that made him rock his head back until he was looking at her. He could see the redness in her eyes start to appear once more, making her eyes even more vivid than they usually were.

"We're both in this, Sasuke. It's not just you," she finally said and it felt like a blow to his chest.

Of course it wasn't just him, but he never wanted her reputation to get sucked into it. He didn't want people looking at Sakura as though she was some awful girl when she was the furthest thing away from that. She was the definition of sweet and innocent, calming and reassuring and warmth—she was light, the first rays of sunshine on a summer morning and the light that reflects from the moon on the darkest of nights.

She was anything but what he was making her out to be. He felt like he was slowly tainting her name and the more he thought about it, the worse he felt for coming here. It was late at night and he could hardly feel his chest now, nor contain the carousel of thoughts circulating through his head. Sasuke felt like he was going to pass out at any given second, but when Sakura slid down off the bed slightly, he felt her arms wrap around his shoulders, her hands coming to intertwine over his chest and suddenly, clarity enveloped him and calmed his brooding thoughts.

"Talk to me," she cooed softly against his ear and his entire being trembled.

Nobody had touched his soul like Sakura had; nobody will be able to touch it other than her.

"I left because somebody knows about us."

She leaned into his neck, her soft exhales brushing against his clavicle as she listened. A slow hum pushed through her soft lips before he swallowed. He could feel her weight pushing into his back, holding around him tightly like a safety net and he slowly began to melt.

"I can't work in Konoha. I want to protect you and leaving was the only way to ensure your safety. I don't want people to look at you poorly and I surely don't want you having to be questioned by the police. I don't want your parents being mad at you, too, if word gets out."

Like word vomit, it was all out there. Every last sentence, every last word and he wanted to close in on himself and vanish from her sight. He never wanted to leave Sakura, but the mere thought of losing her for good and ending up in prison chewed at the back of his mind every single second of every day; he wanted to keep her safe, first and foremost.

"You should've just told me," she said softly, her tone reassuring and understanding. "I thought you left because you didn't want to see me anymore."

He scowled, his lips pressing into a firm line before he swiftly stood from his spot and scooped her up in one fluid motion. It was in the blink of an eye when he had her back pressing firmly against her mattress, his weight pushing her into the soft comforter as his fingers carefully pushed her hair from her face.

Sakura looked surprised from beneath him, but the anger never left his dark pools.

"Why would you think something like that?"

He could hear the dark edge in his voice and it angered him that he was talking to her like that; then again, it angered him that she thought he didn't want to see her anymore. It was a logical thought, but that wasn't his intention by any means.

Sasuke kept her pinned beneath him, looking into her red, puffy eyes before he swiped at the smeared makeup beneath her lash line. She looked utterly broken yet beautiful in the same way, pulling at his heart as her lip trembled before he dipped his face closer to hers and left a soft kiss to her lips.

"Why?" He asked once more.

"Because you left… I couldn't help you."

This time, he kissed the corner of her mouth then slowly trailed to her jawline. He loved how sweet she tasted, how soft her skin was and the alluring scent he'd grown addicted to. Sasuke was slowly losing his mind in her presence, unraveling and exposing a part of his heart no one else had even seen before.

If there was one thing he was certain about, it was that he wholeheartedly loved Sakura—he would fight for her until the very end.

His right hand came to rest against her cheek, pushing back her hair once more before sliding around to the back of her head and pulling him towards him for another kiss. Sasuke didn't want to miss another moment to kiss her; he wanted to hold her close, talk to her and hear her voice, but he also wanted to feel every inch of her body.

He wanted everything to do with Sakura.

"You've helped me in every way possible," he finally murmured against her lips before dipping his head once more and planting another kiss against her full lips. He captured her bottom lip between his teeth before pulling gently, careful not to hurt her. "I promise you."

Her hands came to grasp at his hair, pulling him towards her once more before kissing him fully, more passionately and holding him there. Once more that night, their tongues found one another and he tasted what he craved. Sakura was full of life, full of forgiveness and everything he wanted. When she exhaled slowly, he pulled away before meeting her gaze.

Sakura's eyes shimmered, finding him in the light of her room as he perched over her and as much as he wanted to continue this, something held him back.

"I want more…" she confessed softly, to which he averted his gaze, feeling an irritating itching sensation burn behind his pale cheeks. He hated that he wanted more too, but to take what she offered in her own house?

It made him feel unsure.

"They're not here."

His eyes glanced back at her, finding viridian glowing in the yellow light and it set his heart ablaze. He could hardly feel his chest due to the rapid beating of his own heart. It also felt like his throat was constricting as her hands slowly pulled his shirt up, revealing his toned and defined abs to her watchful eyes.

Her fingers were soft as she grazed over the taut skin there, making him hypersensitive to the touch. Nobody could ever make him feel this way and it wasn't until he fully removed his shirt that her lips pressed to the revealed skin of his neck.

Sasuke released a muffled moan, forgetting how good her lips felt against his skin. When his hands came to run through her hair, he tugged lightly, pulling her head back and revealing her lips to the point that he could press an open mouthed kiss there, devouring her completely.

"I missed you," she spoke softly between each spaced out kiss.

He could hardly get enough of her as he soaked up her presence, his hands slowly gliding over her body until he grabbed at the bottom of her shirt and started to pull it up and over her head. The moment their lips pulled away from each other for a mere second, he missed her warmth; when she pulled the shirt over her head, her hair fell messily over her shoulders, some tresses falling over her face and making her look like the most precious human he ever laid eyes on.

Sasuke was quick to push the hair from her face and press his body against hers, skin against skin and their lips meeting once more. Between their tongues meeting in the middle once more and their arms around one another, Sasuke couldn't tell where he ended and where Sakura began—they were one, their souls tied together and connected.

It didn't take either of them long before they laid under the covers fully unclothed, Sasuke still pinning her to the bed as he positioned himself between her legs. She was soft and gentle, her eyes glimmering with pure affection but a tint of lust peered through the emerald specs there as well.

He was careful as he pressed tender kisses down her body, over her breasts, trailing down her stomach until he reached the warmth between her legs. Her hips bucked slightly when his tongue slid between her folds, finding her clit and circling slowly until her hips mocked his rhythm.

" _Ahh—_ " She whimpered and it was like music to his ears. The more she groaned and pressed out moans, the more pressure he applied.

When he ran his finger over her entrance, he could feel the wetness escaping and coating his finger. Sasuke slowly inserted his middle finger, feeling her tighten around him as he gently placed soft kisses on her thigh. This wasn't what he was planning on doing, but he couldn't get enough of her.

He was addicted to Sakura, absolutely drawn to her unlike any other person he had encountered in his life.

Carefully, he pumped a single finger in and out of her, loving the way her body reacted to his touch and when he felt like she was wet enough, he replaced his finger with his tongue and savored the sweet flavor she had to offer. With ease, he circled her clit with his thumb, keeping a steady pace that wasn't teasing but also wasn't enough to get her off.

He wanted to savor this moment, feel her and taste her unlike any other time he had; he didn't want this moment to end, he just wanted to be around her and spend time with her.

When Sasuke puckered his lips slightly, he sucked a little, enjoying the way her hips bucked at the sensation and how her hand reached for his hair and pulled, her fingers threading through his dark locks and nails scraping his scalp gently.

Between her soft whimpers and quiet moans, she was trying to say something. When he lifted his head to glance up at her, fire burned in her evergreen eyes—lust seeped from behind her vivid eyes, painting her face in a violent blush before she pulled at him, begging him to kiss her instead.

The moment Sasuke started to kiss up her body, he stopped at her breast and sucked at the pink bud there, feeling it harden between his teeth as he gently tugged.

"Sasuke—" she released, drawing his dark pools to her face and he could hardly contain his heart when he noticed just how beautiful she looked. " _Please._ "

Finally, he cupped her cheek with his hand and pressed his lips to hers. He found a softness there, yearning for his touch and when his tongue melted through their molded lips, he found that same sweetness that drove his soul wild.

"Don't leave me again," she whimpered between each kiss and it made his hold on her tighten before he pulled away and looked her in the eyes.

How could he leave someone so true and genuine to him? Someone so pure and committed? He could've sworn her eyes changed a shade lighter while her cheeks colored over with a soft pink blush; she was innocence and life, warmth and comfort, someone he wanted to commit himself wholeheartedly to and eventually, he would.

"I won't," he whispered against her ear before placing a soft kiss to her cheek.

The next thing he knew, Sakura held him close as he entered her except it wasn't like any other time they spent together. He was soft and gentle, holding her and looking at her face between each soft kiss. She moaned his name, her soft voice trickling through his body and causing him to shiver and when he got to his climax, he felt her tighten around his length until he came undone.

There were no scratches adorning his back nor marks lining the pale skin of his neck. Only soft kisses and hushed promises whispered between the two of them while they laid side by side, her head resting in the crook of his neck as he held around her.

Her breathing was calm and relaxed as they laid in the dark and just when he thought she was asleep, she surprised him.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

A minute passed by, silence enveloping them while he waited for what she wanted to say but he could feel the change in her heart rate as it thumped against her small chest. He loved the way she felt there, small and comfortable as though she was a puzzle piece meant to fit alongside him perfectly.

"I love you," she whispered and it made his heart crawl to his throat.

The three words he repeated to himself almost every day, a quiet promise for her that he wanted to say but tonight, he couldn't. He couldn't form the words through his lips although they sat on his tongue. Instead, he pulled her closer and pressed a soft and reassuring kiss to the crown of her head.

Sasuke knew deep down exactly how he felt for her—saying those words back at this point wasn't the right time though.

"Are you going to sleep here tonight?" She broke the silence once more and it stirred him from his thoughts.

"If you want me to," he answered in a lazy and tired voice. He didn't want to leave her tonight, not yet at least.

"Stay," she said softly against his neck and it made him shiver once more.

He would stay. Not just tonight, but with her for as long as she wanted.

 **. . .**

"You're smiling."

He couldn't bring his eyes to meet hers. She knew exactly why he was smiling and it made his ears burn slightly.

"So?" He decided to answer and he could hear the joy in his mother's voice.

"It looks nice on you," she said softly.

It had been a couple of days since his reunion with Sakura and ever since he left, he couldn't stop the butterflies from flocking in his stomach or fight the smile that decided to pull at his lips randomly during the day. Now his mother had caught him in his thoughts as he thought about his goodbye kiss to Sakura the following day after their night together.

"Tch."

His cheeks finally grew red and it only made his mother coo even more. Of course she was happy for him and of course she wanted the details, but she wouldn't pry for them. It was another hospital visit, finding comfort in his mother's presence and as much as he wanted to talk about his visit with Sakura, it wasn't the most appropriate thing to talk to her about.

"I managed to talk to Sakura."

"That explains the smile then," she teased softly and he could only roll his eyes at her. Her playful side always put him in a better mood but that on top of clearing things up with Sakura made his heart flutter.

Things were going well for the most part, but he still had to get Orochimaru off of his back. Not only that, but he wanted to stay in contact with Sakura; albeit, she was still in school and trying to maintain her friendships and outings with her friends, he knew he needed to be patient.

His phone vibrated from his pocket and upon pulling it out, he found Sakura's name.

 _Ino is bugging me about prom but I don't want to go._

Sasuke smirked, knowing full well how Sakura would get when it came to doing things she was uncomfortable with. He sighed before replying.

 _Just go._

It usually didn't take her long to reply and before he could lock his phone, she already texted back.

 _Only if you go as my date. ;)_

He ran his hand down his face before smirking. His cheeks heated up once more before he felt Mikoto's watchful eyes on him and when he glanced up, he found her dark eyes and soft smile.

"Kids," she muttered before looking away and it made him roll his eyes once more.

 _Maybe I'll take you out another time. We can always dress up and go to dinner and dance._

He put his phone away after replying and thought about actually attending something other than her high school prom. His mind thought of her in a beautiful dress, her hair curled and spilling over her shoulders and her makeup done professionally. She would look absolutely stunning, but then again, she always looked stunning to him.

He'd take her out again eventually. That was a promise.

* * *

sorry for the late update! ended up sick and couldn't get enough energy to post but here we have it! thanks for reading, lemme know your thoughts and as always, i appreciate all the support. you guys rock !


End file.
